Finding the Perfect Home to Buy for Your Family
In order to find the “perfect” house for sale in, you need to know exactly what you want. Your real estate agent will help you focus your search by discussing the following points with you. In the long run, spending this time now before you look will save you time, frustration, and money.
Some locations are fantastic for one person, but not as excellent for another. Where do you want to live? Do you have small children? If so, maybe you need to be within walking distance of a park or a school. Do you mind commuting to work? If yes, then perhaps you need to live close to your place of employment. A fantastic location is a critical factor to finding your perfect home. That’s why I’ll want to talk in detail with you about your preferences in this area. And this will be our first step in focusing your search.
Are there certain features in a home that you must have? For instance, if you’re a gourmet cook, you’ll need a large kitchen. If you have children, you’ll need extra bedrooms, and perhaps yard space. Perhaps there are features you would like in a home, but are not necessarily critical, like a fireplace or a finished basement. I’ve prepared a handy tool called a “Home Wish List” to help you sort through your preferences for home features.
Some neighborhoods are thriving while others are in decline. What’s the health of the area you’re considering? If you don’t know the answer to this, you need to find out. Go online and check the area’s demographics and crime rate. Check the rating of the local schools. Look at the local newspaper’s archives and scan the headlines. You’ll see if industry is growing, holding steady or in decline. If you are considering buying a home in a certain area, you’ll want to do whatever research in necessary to ensure that property values will at least remain steady, but preferably rise over time.
Do you have a realtor? Is she local? It’s crucial that your realtor be very familiar with the area you’re considering. It’s also vital that you feel comfortable with your realtor, since you’ll be sharing personal information like financial data with her. You can locate a local realtor online or in the phone book.
While you can learn a lot about a neighborhood online, the only way to get a real “feel” for it is to visit it in person. Any property you’re considering may look very different in person, since you’ll be seeing it in context of its surroundings. You can also learn other things about the neighborhood that pictures just can’t tell, like what traffic is like in front of the property, or is it near a highway.
Are you pre-approved for a mortgage? The pre-approval process saves you a lot of time, since it determines the price range of property you can comfortably afford. Your loan officer will provide you with a letter you can have on hand to show potential sellers that you are a serious buyer. Such a letter may also give you an advantage in case the seller gets multiple offers.
Ready to find out what is the right house for you? Consider the points above as you start your search, and you’ll be sure to know it when you see it.
Author Susanne Novak is a full time Columbus real estate agent who helps home owners buy properties at discounted prices. Her blog shows how to find and buy the best Columbus OH Homes for Sale.