Tips for Anxiety-Free Homebuying
Feeling stressed about this year’s home purchase options? Here are steps you can take to prepare for one of your largest purchases, no matter if you’ve bought a home before or if you’re a first-time buyer.
Get Prequalified
The process of buying a house can be an exciting and anxious one. Become a homeowner can feel overwhelming, especially with so many steps to follow. Your dream of owning a home can be closer to reality if you take one step. If you’re searching for a house, pre-qualification is the answer to some of your worries. If you are competing against another home buyer for the same property, a pre-qualification makes your offer more credible. This gives you an immediate advantage over many other homebuyers.
Pick a Reliable Agent
This is not a field to attempt on your own if you don’t have any real estate experience. Ensure that you work with a real estate agent who you are comfortable with. The purchase of a home is likely to be your largest financial commitment, so choose an agent you can trust. Ask for recommendations, go to open houses to meet them in person, interview any potential agents… doing this work up front could save you lots of headache in the long run. Plus, you’ll have an expert on your team to walk you through any of the stressful situations ahead.
Ask Lots of Questions
Want peace of mind? It’s important to self-advocate for yourself during this process. Ask ALL THE QUESTIONS. Don’t worry about how inexperienced you’ll look. This process is complicated and sometimes there are hidden costs or things you don’t know that can hurt you later, so no matter who is trying to rush you, slow down and ask questions along the way.
Check Out the Neighborhood
Nothing ruins a new home purchase more than realizing your perfect home is in a less than ideal neighborhood. Drive around. Spend some time within the community. Walk through the area. Hang out at the local park and see if you can strike up a conversation with some of the neighbors. See if there is an online neighborhood group that you can join and ask questions.
Home Inspection Time
In most cases, a buyer can expect to spend between two and three hours on a home inspection. The inspector should be present to explain his findings and to answer any questions you may have. Inspectors who do a good job will note whether the issues they have come across are safety concerns, major defects, or minor defects. As well as documenting what needs to be replaced, repaired, or serviced, the inspector should also specify which items need to be replaced. Do not go into a home purchase without this information!
Get Your Stuff Together
Ask your real estate agent and mortgage lender what paperwork will be needed to purchase a home. Check out this home documents checklist for an idea. Even if you haven’t found the perfect home yet, pulling together this paperwork will prepare you to react quickly when the moment arises.
All of these steps will help bring your anxiety down a few octaves and make this process a little less painful for potential homebuyers.
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