The search for your home can be a daunting and overwhelming process, with an ocean of information to consider before your first prospective visit. At Windermere Group One, we are here to make the experience as simple and stress-free as possible. In order to accomplish this goal, we suggest five simple tips to help ease your mind and identify which home will be right for you:
- Note your deal-breakers. Compile a list of three essential features (no more, no less) that your first home must include. This will serve as a method of narrowing down the initial search, as well as giving you a more precise understanding of what exactly you are looking for in a home. These non-negotiable features could be an attached garage, a fenced back yard, hardwood floors, a specific number of bathrooms, a studio–anything you would not want to live without.
- Keep expectations realistic. This is not to say you should lower your expectations, but rather, remind yourself that there is no such thing as the perfect home. If a property possesses the features you listed as essential and meets about 85% of your overall expectations, it should be a strong candidate for your consideration. There is always room for improvement within a house, and personalizing yours over the years is a key part of being a homeowner.
- Think long term. It can often be difficult to step outside of the current moment and consider your long-term future, but this is an imperative exercise for anyone in the market for a home. You may not currently have children or pets, but imagine yourself five years down the line, and try to find a property malleable enough to suit future needs because life has a relentless tendency of getting in the way, throwing off even the best-set plans. However, considering potential future changes in your needs ahead of making any final decisions will save you possible disappointment in your home choice in the long run. Your future self will thank you!
- Set a budget. Determining your price range for a potential home is one of the most important steps in the process. The last thing you want to do is become attached to a gorgeous home, only to find that it is too far out of your price range. A general rule of thumb is that your monthly housing costs (mortgage, taxes, insurance) should be no more than 25% of your monthly take-home pay.
- Location, location, location. The physical location of your potential home should be high on the list of considerations during your search. Neighborhoods vary widely in terms of proximity to parks, local rivers, schools, restaurants, businesses, access, and infrastructure. It is important to determine which area would be most advantageous for you, both now and in the future. In conjunction with your list of deal-breakers and potential budget, the location of a property should be a significant indicator as to whether or not the home is right for you.
We at Windermere believe that knowledge is power, and we take pride in being an informative resource for our local community. If you have any questions concerning real estate, please don’t hesitate to give us a call at (509) 946-1188, or send us an email at [email protected].