Have you decided to start hunting for a home? Congratulations! Now that you have made the decision to start looking, the question is, "How do you plan on finding the home you want?" It's surprising how few people can answer this question.
I recently heard a colleague say that 49% of home buyers use the internet to find a home, 31% use a real estate agent, and 7% look for 'For Sale' signs and 'Open House' signs in yards. Those numbers reinforce that there are various sources to find a home. However, if you want to hunt for a home like a pro, here are some simple tactics that will make your experience much more efficient and pleasurable and likely to land you a house you want to buy.
House Hunting Tactics
1. Know what you can afford. How can you begin to look before you know what you can buy? A price range usually narrows the field considerably. If you need help determining how much you can afford, ask an agent to help you work through that math. (BONUS: We have included a Mortgage Calculator (scroll down; it is on the right sidebar) on our home page to help you understand your monthly payment.) Getting pre-qualified with a mortgage company can also help you find the answer to this question.
2. Know where you want to live. Seems obvious, right? However, within cities and communities, there are all kinds of neighborhoods with different flavors, amenities, and schools. Understanding things like walk scores, commute times, and the school district's quality can significantly impact your choice. If you find a home in a neighborhood that you can't stand, you aren't going to be happy. Since the Prescott Quad Cities has numerous subdivisions, we have included information on each to help you navigate the best community! Visit our Community Page Here to help narrow down what communities meet your needs.
3. Know what type of home you want. How much room do you need? What are your plans? Do you love gardening, or would you rather never worry about a lawn? Do you work from home? Do you want a historic home? Is new construction your dream? Knowing what you can afford can help with this question, but you'll still need to look at your desires and priorities to determine what's right for you.
4. Give yourself plenty of time at showings. You may want to see as many homes as possible in a single day or weekend, but feeling the crunch of the clock can keep you from inspecting the house and getting a feel for the property. You want time to open drawers and cabinets and walk around the yard areas as well. If the clock's ticking, you won't honestly evaluate what you see.
5. Sign up for property alerts. Homes always pop up on the market, and you will want to know when they do. Sign up on our website for alerts when a home meeting your parameters becomes available. Enter your search criteria; after viewing the results, select 'Save Search' and enter your contact information. This step may give you the competitive edge to secure your home.
6. Tell friends and family what you're looking for. One of the best times to find your home is before it's on the market. Friends, family, work associates, and their network of friends may know someone thinking about selling just the sort of house you want. Ask around!
Starting the home searching process is an exciting time. If you have questions, ask me; remember, real estate is my specialty. I am happy to help you work through this process with you. Contact me today about your home search: 928-308-0101
