Have you spent months, or even years, preparing your finances, credit and yourself for purchasing a home? If you have saved your down payment, corrected your credit, paid down your debt and gained preapproval for a mortgage, you are ready to start your search. These are a few tips to help you find a great home and get the most out of your investment.
Set Your Home Goals
You may think that your first task is to start searching for local properties, e.g., Suffolk land for sale, but your first task should be identifying what you want in a home. You should have determined what you can afford, but you need to write down what features your new home should have. For example, do you want a single-family home, a condo or an attached home? Identify how many bedrooms and bathrooms, the square footage, whether you want a basement and how large your lot should be.
Choose the Neighborhood First
Choose a neighborhood that is appreciating in value. You can start by driving around neighborhoods that are close to your job and speak with your realtor about areas with the demographics you are looking for. As you narrow your options, begin driving around each option in the morning, at noon and in the evening so you can see whether the neighborhood is right for you and your family. Learn how far your work, the grocery store, schools and other services you need are from the area. Then, search for a home in your desired neighborhood.
Frequent Open Houses
Your first stop may be an online search for homes. Then, you may go through some online 3D tours that allow you to walk through many homes. However, you should also visit open houses. Ask questions, listen for noise and odors and look at the condition of each home carefully. Discuss the home’s age and the age of its major systems, such as electrical and plumbing.
Don’t choose a home based on emotion. A great realtor will help you through these processes.
