Date Posted: 2012-06-29 08:21:49
Site Posted: Myproperty.ph
Buying a house is a big deal, and like all big deals go, a lot of thought goes into it. After all, you’re making a decision about spending a lot of money on a place you could potentially be living in for the rest of your life. The mere idea can scare anyone into frantically asking everyone and looking everywhere just to find the one.
Even more frustrating than worrying is the idea of a house hunt that seems to go on forever because of all the advice that you get from different sources, not to mention slim pickings in the market. If you want to avoid spending endless months of looking, only to buy a so-so house out of frustration, here are some things to keep in mind.
Organize your needs and wants
Create two separate lists of the things you need your new home to have, and the things that would be nice to have but are not necessarily your priority. For instance, two bathrooms, a big yard and a great school nearby are some non-negotiables and should take precedence over the wants. Some things that can take the backseat for now are features like wall-to-wall carpeting and a state-of-the-art kitchen, since these are things that you can add later.
Choose the location
Everyone knows that in real estate, location is an extremely important factor that you need to consider. To narrow down your search even further, decide right away which neighborhood or city you want to live in. Some of the things that you should consider in terms of location are proximity to essential establishments, area safety and potential as an investment.
Get the right agent
This is something that you really want to do, especially if you’re buying a house for the first time. Now that you have your must-haves in order, you can ask your agent to find houses that have these characteristics so you won’t have to browse through newspapers or drive around aimlessly, searching for a property to buy. An agent can just give you a call and let you know when they find a home they feel you’ll like.
Work with a timeline
Searching for a home willy-nilly may lack the pressure that you normally experience when you have a deadline, but it doesn’t give you the right motivation to buy, either. By organizing the things you need to accomplish in a certain period of time, you become more encouraged to get your priorities straight so that you don’t waste any time looking at homes that are not quite right.
The more houses for sale you look at, the more you realize what you want and don’t want in a property. Unfortunately, this approach also wastes time and leads to frustration. Make sure that before you start looking for a house, you already have a clear idea of what your house should have so you don’t end up in house hunting limbo.
Jillian Cariola, Writer
(cover image by opinto)
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