6 Steps to House Hunting

So you’re in the market to buy some real estate. What should you keep in mind when house hunting? It can be a bit mind boggling, so here are a few tips to make it a little easier.

1. Be informed buyers. Know what you can afford and what will work best for your budget. It won’t help to find the house of your dreams when it’s beyond what you can spend. Be aware of your credit situation. Get pre-approved before you start looking. If you’re pre-approved it helps smooth the entire process.

2. Find a real estate agent that you like and trust. An agent can look out for your best interests. When you develop a good rapport, they know what you’re looking for and won’t waste your time and theirs on unnecessary showings.

3. Determine just what your needs and wants are. Do you really need four bedrooms and three baths for just the two of you? Are you more laid back and want something simple or are you interested in a more formal Tudor or Victorian style of home? Do you mind stairs or would you rather have everything on one floor? Do you want to take care of a large yard? Do you like lots of windows and light? Some older homes have limited closet space and not much storage space. Are you more interested in a newer home? What about a fireplace? A game room? These are all ideas for consideration.

4. What about curb appeal? What strikes you when you first see a house? What turns you off? Curb appeal can be several things. It’s the way the house looks from the curb. It could be how it sits on the lot. Check out the landscaping, do you like trees and bushes or are large flower gardens more of what you enjoy? Is there a lot of traffic? Does it sit on a hill? What kind of shape are the neighbors houses in? Is the neighborhood safe? Are there children playing in their yards? Is there access to public transportation? Are there any parks near?

5. So you found the house of your dreams. Before signing the papers, have the house inspected. The home inspector can find insect problems, water problems that you can‘t see, mold behind the walls, building code concerns and even if you’re going to need a new roof soon. These are points that you can bring up in your offer. Once you sign the papers, then it’s your problem. Before signing the papers, do a final walk through the house to make sure anything you had questions about is taken care of and the issues are settled.

6. Hire your movers, move in and enjoy being a home owner!

By Linda Lee Ruzicka

Linda Lee Ruzicka lives in the mountains of Western PA , happily married and with her 8 cats and three dogs. She has been published in Twilight Times, Dark Krypt, Fables, Writing Village, June Cotner anthology, The Grit, Reminisce , the book, Haunted Encounters: Friends and Family. She also does freelances work for Beyond andRealestatejobsite. You can read more of her blogs on Realestatejobsite blog.