Finding a new home that suits you and your family is exciting as well as exhausting. It is, therefore, best to start looking early, preferably a month before the date you want to move. For some, it may take a longer time, and for others, it can be shorter. Here are a few tips to guide you in finding the perfect home:
1. Do Your Research
It would be best to start your research online rather than driving around neighborhoods trying to find the perfect home. Narrow down your search to a location or neighborhood, the cost, the size, the home’s age, and the different features you are looking for. When you have settled on many places, you can now take your research to the ground. Take one weekend and drive or walk around the houses you have selected to get the neighborhood’s feel. Also, check nearby amenities and how close they are to your potential home.
2.Be Flexible
When you start looking for a house, make a must-have and nice-to-have list. How many bedrooms do you want, and does each need to have a bathroom? How big is the kitchen? Being flexible is very important when looking for a house. Do not get too fixated on a certain aspect of a house like a big backyard to a point you overlook an otherwise perfect house. Be ready to compromise on certain features. You can also think of which renovations you are comfortable doing, like installing hardwood floors or doing your landscaping. Even with a budget, it may be hard to find a house with everything you want. If a house feels right, then it is the one for you.
3. Establish Deal-Breakers
Make a list of deal-breakers. Say you have found the perfect home, but it is an hour away from your kids’ school. While you may be happy with the home, you have to consider its impact on you and your family. This will save you time on what is acceptable and what is not.
4. Stick to Your Budget
Do not get tempted to start looking for homes on top of your price range, even if they are your ideal home. If you take a mortgage bigger than what you can comfortably pay, it will quickly dampen the joy of a new home. Experts recommend your monthly housing expenses be around 28% of your gross monthly income.
5. Work with a Real Estate Agent
If you do not know where to start, get a real estate agent’s help to help with the search. You will only tell them what your ideal home is, and they will take it from there. They will negotiate for you, submit offers and help you with the paperwork. Consider using Tulum real estate services to help you find the ideal home.
There are many factors to consider when finding a house, like security and the neighborhood you will be staying in. However, be patient and try using the tips given above to ensure you have an easy time.
Find more house and home tips in our archives.
Meg is an author at Cinnamon Hollow. She writes on a variety of topics sharing tips and ideas for daily life.