Questions to ask yourself before making a house purchase
Buying a home shouldn’t be taken lightly, and no matter whether you’re a first-time buyer or on your third home, it can be a different experience each time, with several obstacles along the way.
As any reputable real estate broker will tell you, researching the right home and team to help make that sale happen is absolutely essential. But how are you going to find them?
Ask yourself the following questions before making the final decision, and you’ll find yourself settled, sorted, and stress-free in no time.
Have you set a fair budget?
Sit down and plan out a fair budget with some wiggle room. But be sure that you set a limit that you cannot go above. It may sound silly now, but when it comes time to bid, people can go well above their limits and means.
Have you found the perfect realtor to work with?
Any real estate agent can promise you the world, but what proof do they have that they’ve actually helped other people make their dreams come true?
Seek out customer references, and great online reviews, and take your time when meeting agents. This is an important relationship, and it’s okay to choose carefully.
Have you made a list of essentials in a dream home?
Real estate is all about small tweaks, compromises, and negotiations. But that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t have a list of core essentials that you absolutely refuse to budge on.
Remember that this may be the place you raise a family or make your career goals a reality. It needs to have the right tools and amenities to make those dreams happen for you. Happy homes get started here, so get your list written up and stick to it!
Have you viewed the home at least twice?
Yes, you don’t want to wait too long and miss the boat on what could be a great deal, but rushing through a ten-minute tour of the place with 20 other couples just isn’t going to cut it here. Especially not when you’re thinking about parting with such large sums of money.
Take the time to fully inspect the house. Try to attend an evening and morning viewing to get a better idea of how the neighborhood seems at those times too!
Have you asked the right questions?
There’s nothing wrong with asking a few probing questions about how long the sellers have lived there, or the reasons for their move. You shouldn’t be too forward, just in case there are sensitive personal reasons for a sale.
But if they’ve only lived there a few months and already want to sell up, it’s a very worrying sign that there are some hidden negatives amid what might seem ideal on the surface.
Are you in it for the long haul?
It’s important to cross reference your final decision with your own personal goals, aspirations, and five-year plan. Are you looking to flip the house or spend the next few decades there raising a family?
If you’re able to answer these questions now, you’ll save a lot of time and effort in your searches, and narrow down what truly matters most to you in that final real estate decision.