Are you looking to make that leap from rental to ownership by purchasing your very first home? Congratulations, but before you make the leap and agree to put your money down on a property that you consider to be your dream home, there are 4 things everyone should know before buying a new house.
Buying a home will be one of the most significant financial decisions you’ve ever made, it may even be your biggest personal purchase so far in your life. More reason to tread carefully.
From viewing to purchasing, we have put together a list of things that you definitely need to know before putting money down on that house, based on the most common mistakes we see from first-time home buyers. Check them out below.
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Don’t worry about minor issues:
If you are concerned about the color of paint used on the bedroom walls or about the design of the wallpaper, worry no more, as these things can be easily replaced. What you should be looking out for when buying a house are the more important factors such as the location of the property, the floor plan, and other factors that would be much harder or impossible to change or ignore.
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Talk to your neighbors:
When you are viewing a property, you only get to see it for a short amount of time, and at a certain time of day; this information may not be sufficient to use as a yardstick for you to judge whether you like the neighborhood or not. A helpful tip is to speak with a few people living in that area so as to gain a more holistic view of the neighborhood and decide on whether or not it is for you.
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Consider your commute:
If you a buying a home for yourself, then an important factor to put into consideration is the length of your commute. You must take the transportation systems into consideration and determine how long it will take you to go from home to work. You should also consider the distance between the home and commercial outlets that offer basic services such as grocery stores and coffee shops.
You should not only consider the distance of your commute, but also the nature of the transport system. For example, it may take you fifteen minutes to get to work on a Sunday, but an hour plus to get there on a busy Monday morning because of traffic gridlocks.
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Use a good and trustworthy Real Estate Agent:
A lot of people are reluctant to solicit the services of a good real estate agent because they believe that it drives up the overhead cost of purchasing the home. Such people venture down the unfamiliar path of real estate ownership often without any prior knowledge and without any guidance of an expert that they can trust and rely on; bad move.
A real estate agent not only makes the process of buying a home easier and smoother, but they also provide you with helpful insights into the home-buying industry and ensure that your interests are adequately represented every step of the way.
Still in doubt? Contact a qualified real estate agent now and let us help you find your dream home!