When beginning the process of finding a new home, it is often difficult to know where to begin. Before researching the market or analyzing housing options, you may want to start by prioritizing your family's needs, determining what are "must-haves" and the "nice-to-haves." Below are some suggestions to consider as you begin your new home search:
- Location: When you begin searching for the right home for your family, you may first want to determine what would be the best location. One of the best ways to find a home location that suits your family is to assess your needs and determine how much your family can compromise. For instance, do you have small children or pets that require a large backyard to play in? Or would you be equally happy taking your kids and dog to the local park? Do you need quiet surroundings, like a dead-end street, or do you prefer the hustle and bustle of metropolitan areas? These are the types of general assessments which may help you determine an ideal location for your family.
- Neighborhood: Once you have zoned in on which location features, such as nearby parks, etc. you need, you will want to further examine the neighborhoods to find out their walk score, the proximity to your work place, and, if you have children, the quality of the schools. A neighborhood's walk score represents the ease with which one is able to access things like resturants and shopping centers on foot. consider how much extra time will be added or taken away from your daily commute. Look at the activities you and your family are currently involved with, and ask yourself how accessible these activities will be from the prospective neighborhood.
- 'Visualize' Your Ideal Home: After you have a chance to look at a few homes and research various neighborhoods, try to visualize the best home for your family. Though you have probably already thought about how many bedrooms and bathrooms your family needs, consider keeping a list of desired amenities – both essential and those that you could live without – as you continue the home buying process. You may also want to consider what type of home construction your family needs, from a standard single-family home to a condominium or even a multi-family home. Upon viewing particular homes, you may realize that your family needs a certain amount of storage space or more overall square footage than you realized. Add and subtract from this list as you look at more homes, always keeping track of where your family can compromise.
- Keep An Open Mind: If you find a home that meets all of your family's needs but has a smaller than desired garage, you could still be faced with an opportunity that is too good to pass up. Furthermore, you might find the perfect home in a neighborhood you never thought to consider, or in a specific type of construction that was initially ruled out of your search. Quite simply, try not to limit your family's options too much and remain open-minded throughout the home buying process. You might even find a great home with special features you never thought your family could afford – like a pool, a spa or an extra fireplace.
If you want a smooth home buying process while being informed from day one. Contact me today, and I will walk you through each step on how to get started!
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