Make sure that you have everything figured out before starting your home search – both on the financing side and in terms of your own wants and needs. Below is a checklist you can use as a guide for your home search:
- Get your financial house in order first and that includes determining what your budget will comfortably allow and sticking to it and getting pre-approved for a mortgage.
- Familiarize yourself with the different housing types available to help you narrow your search.
- Determine your minimum requirements as well as any desired additional features.
- Clearly outline any items that you don’t want in a house.
- Determine the desired location – close to schools, work, public transportation and other amenities or infrastructure.
- Familiarize yourself with the mortgage process.
- Check listings and prices throughout the United States on the internet.
- Use a record to compare homes.
- Familiarize yourself with the home inspection process that you will need to conduct in a short period of time on all homes that you look at.
- Maintain your perspective through it all, keep a critical eye open and try your best to keep emotion out of the process.
