Remember those times where you were dreaming of what could be and scouring the web and available house listings. Did you ever find yourself looking around at the houses that were available, knowing that someday, you wouldn’t just be killing time, but looking for your future home? Someday has now become today and you are ready to buy your first home! Here are a few steps to keep in mind when getting ready:
Get Pre-Approved for your Mortgage
This step is the best way to ensure that the properties you see are the properties you can really see yourself in. Imagine someone has made your favorite cake, everything is exactly how you want it, it’s the most perfect dessert you have ever seen, only to take it away and give it to someone else! We want you to be able to have your cake and eat it too. By ensuring that you get pre-approved for your mortgage, we’ll be able to show you houses that you love with a price tag that fits your budget.
Set Some Goals
It seems every interview or questionnaire asks the question of “where do you see yourself in five years?” As cliché as this question sounds, it’s something to take into consideration when looking for your first home. Are you planning on expanding your family within the next few years? How do you see your career progressing? Do you want to eventually be able to host gatherings for all your family and friends? Knowing the needs, you have now, and planning for your future goals means that you are looking for a home that provides the perfect space for your first home, a new upgrade or even downsizing your home based on your goals and set needs.
Make your Wish-List
Think back to the times you scrolled through the buy-and-sell websites, what made you go “I need this for my house” and where did you think “not for me?” These moments help you learn what you want out of your first home. Is it an open concept floor plan? Maybe it’s a walk-in closet or a garage. It’s important to know what your non-negotiables are and what boxes need to be ticked to find a property that suits you.
Trust the Process
Buying a property will be one of the biggest investments that you make over your life. The goal of your realtor is to help you make a great investment. They’ll ask you the right questions to find the right property for you. They’ll also have the local knowledge to help you find the right house, in the right location for you. Not every step of the home buying process is on every “Buying Your First House Checklist” and they’ll know the finer details that may be specific to the area that are overlooked on those big general lists. Realtors are there to help you reach your goals by answering your questions and helping you find the right property for you.
Buying your first property is an exciting milestone to reach! By learning to trust the process with your realtor and set goals and expectations for what the property can be, will mean that you’ll be seeing properties that can meet or even exceed what you’ve been dreaming of. That being said, talk to Jim Grieve today and let him and his team find you the house that fits right!