Looking for a Home

FINDING THE RIGHT HOME

Finding the right home requires planning and a lot of effort.  It also requires teamwork.   You, your family, and your real estate agent need to be unified in looking for the home that is the most suitable for your needs and wants.  You need to plan together to decide what those needs and wants are.  You need to look together at those homes that fit your criteria.

There will come a time when you realize that no home has it all.  Together you will need to prioritize the wants and the needs.  Eventually there will be compromises in what you purchase, but if you begin with an agreeable plan and a strategy that everyone agrees on then the compromises will be much easier.

Let’s consider some areas of planning and strategy when looking for a home:

  1. First and foremost is deciding what can you afford.  Before you even step foot into a home you need to know if it’s within your price range.  Speak with a lender to learn what you are qualified for.  Learn what your monthly payments will be in price ranges that go up in increments of $10,000.  Know also what the down payment and closing costs will be to purchase a home within your range.  Ask your lender for a pre-qualification letter since you will need that to accompany your offer to purchase.
  2. Meet with your real estate agent to discuss your approach to searching for the right home and what your needs and wants are based on the plan you have made.  You may either have the agent do the previewing or you may choose to do that by driving by the homes selected.  The agent can give you copies of the listings from the multiple listing service to drive by initially or you may have the agent drive you to all the homes as you preview them together.
  3. Your plan needs to include location, features, and amenities.
  4. Location is something you cannot change so it becomes very important to know in advance where you want the home to be located.  Here are some considerations:
  • a. city, suburb, or country
  • b. lot location on a corner, cul de sac, or backing to common area
  • c. close to job site, shopping, school, or church
  • d. busy neighborhood or quiet streets
  • e. new subdivision or established area
  • f. large or small lot sizes

    5.   Features related to the basics of the home:

  • a. type of structure, i.e., one story, two story.
  • b. number of bedrooms and baths
  • c. total square footage of the living area
  • d. size of the garage
  • e. age of the home
  • f. type of heating and cooling system
  • g. type of construction (brick, stucco, etc)
  • h. a floor plan that includes both living room and family room, basement, bonus room, theater room, main floor master suite, etc.
  • i. kitchen features such as pantry, double ovens, granite countertops, stainless steel appliances, trash compactor, etc.
  • j. lot features such as fencing, sprinklers, covered patio, dog run, RV parking, garden area, orchard, pool, etc.

    6.  Finally, you need to consider any amenities that you want to include such as granite countertops, hardwood floors, fireplace, tile floors, Jacuzzi tub, walk-in closets, etc.

Finding the right home can be exciting and educational.  With a good plan and a unified effort you will have success in accomplishing your objective.