6 ways to bring order to the chaos of house hunting

Every buyer-to-be knows searching for a home can be a challenge. However, your house hunt doesn’t have to mean chaos if you start with an organized plan. Streamlining your search starts with a healthy dose of preparation by including a great real estate agent, setting a budget, creating a wish list, and reviewing real estate listings that meet your requirements.

Use these six tips to keep you organized and focused as you search for your new home:

1. Involve Your Agent
Your real estate agent isn’t there just to set up visits and oversee the closing process when you’re buying a house. They’re also your number one resource for answering questions, sharing ideas, and providing real estate advice. Call me, I’m working for you!

2. Set a Budget
While you don’t have to know exactly how much you’ll be able to spend at the start, it’s a good idea to narrow your budget down to a comfortable range. Setting a sensible budget from the start makes every step that comes after easier. You can always adjust later if your finances change. Let me connect you with a local lender.

3. Scout First
Before you start scheduling visits, it’s a good idea to scout some neighborhoods and identify possible matches. Doing online research will help you narrow down the possibilities. You can learn even more by driving through the most appealing spots that your research uncovers. Be sure to write down the info of any homes that catch your eye so that you can visit them later for a closer look.

4. When in Doubt, Make a List
Making lists are a great way to stay organized and super helpful when buying a house. Making lists of your needs, wants, and deal-breakers will help you lock in on the best fits and save time by quickly eliminating homes that just aren’t a match.

5. Ask Around
Have any friends or family members who recently bought in a new community or live in a neighborhood you’re considering? It helps to get the inside scoop on a neighborhood from someone you trust. Again, I talk about houses, not people so I can give you value advice.

6. Get Pre-Approved
Want to impress potential sellers and gain some peace of mind in the process? Getting pre-approved for a mortgage is an excellent idea when shopping for a house and will make life much easier when it’s time to make an offer. Get this step out of the way early and you’ll be in great shape. Again, I can connect you to a local lender and it make a Realtor’s job much easier.

Creating a plan before you start your search for a home gives you the chance to enjoy the process and to make an efficient, informed decision when it’s time to place an offer on your new house.

Thinking about buying or selling a home? I can help make the process easy, get in touch today!

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