My Next Purchase is Going to be My Dream Home

YOUR DREAM HOME!

So let’s prepare for that Dream Home purchase. Grab a paper and pen and get to listing everything you could ever want in your dream home. Now refine that list even more to Need versus a Want. While you may want everything you don’t necessarily need everything either. You still have to live within your means, unless you got it like that then you can have just about anything you want if the cash in the bank says so!

Once you’ve finished this…DO YOUR RESEARCH! Especially if you know there will be some time before you move forward with this huge purchase. You might as well familiarize yourself with your areas of interest. This will also save you and your trusted realtor lots of time during the buying process. Try out Zillow, Realtor.com, or whatever search tool you prefer. HAR.com(for Texas residents) is always good and very informative on the neighborhoods. To the parents out there, consider school districts in your search as well, it’s nothing worse than making a 40 minute drive in traffic to the other side of town from your home to where your child’s school is located., when there was probably a great school literally five minutes from the house. Whatever areas you consider keep it to a min…i’d say three is sufficient, but some suggest 5, totally your choice.

Next up is the biggest and best step you could ever take and that is contacting a realtor to help you along your home buying journey! BUT PLEASE DO NOT AND I MEAN DO NOT WASTE THEIR TIME OR MINE ON HOME SHOWING’S WHEN YOU ARE NO WHERE NEAR READY TO PURCHASE. IT’S NOT FAIR TO THE REALTOR OR TO OTHERS WHO MIGHT HAVE ACTUALLY NEEDED TO SEE A HOUSE THEY ARE REALLY INTERESTED IN. These days though PRE-APPROVAL’s are needed to show homes which guarantees the agents involved that you are serious about this next step. Open Houses are still an option if you find yourself on the fence.

Oh yes, one thing my mom made certain I did even when I was renting…take a drive around the neighborhood you’ll be living in. Get familiar with the activity in the area both day and night…when you have some free time of course. When you buy a home you are getting everything that comes with it including the community. So just keep that in mind when researching.

Lastly…refine that list more and more with pros and cons and things you’re willing to give on a little bit and things that are total deal breakers. Even if this isn’t your forever home it’s a place you’ll call home for a number of years at least. So be certain in your decisions.

NOW GET TO WORK….