Is it time to start looking for the perfect home? Looking for your forever home is exciting but also stressful. House shopping is a huge investment, so it is normal to be hesitant. Of course, you want to make sure you are making the best possible decision for you and your family, and while some shoppers might get that gut feeling when they know they have found their forever home, some do not and need a little more convincing to make the final decision.
Luckily, the Internet has been a help in this process. Specifically, 93% of home buyers have said that websites have been the most useful source of information when looking for a house. There are so many components to finding your dream home, so you want to check every detail: Where do you want to live? How many rooms do you need? Is having a big backyard important?
Because of all these details, house hunting can be very long and tedious so here are a few tips to keep in mind when you are looking for the perfect home!
- Take a pen and paper and write down what your “perfect home” looks like!
This can include any details like desired location, house space, things you need, things you do not need, etc. This will help build a checklist when it comes down to comparing houses and narrowing them down to the final one. You can see which properties meet just the basic requirements and which others check off every box on your list. One of the most important things to have on your list is the number of rooms and overall space needed. Besides that, any other amenities or other criteria on your list can be flexible and thought over again if need be. Any sudden flexible urges could be a good sign that you could be in the right place and may not need what you thought you did.
- Make sure you know your budget!
You should get a pre-approved loan before looking at houses to show the buyer that you are serious when a potential house comes along. You can also gather credit reports/scores and proof of income if available. This will help to have some financial parameters when looking for houses and can also make the buying process much more efficient and quicker. You should also plan and be aware of how you will be paying for the house. If you can pay with cash, do it. If not, and you are getting a mortgage, you should not buy the house unless you know the payment will be no more than 25% of your take-home pay. Also, make sure you save for a down payment, which is usually 10% to 20% of the total house price.
- Keep the future in mind!
When looking at houses, remember to consider if the house is ready for you now…and in the future. Think about what changes you would want to make to the house later on, if not now. You may want to have extra storage and space to grow in this house. For a house to be perfect, it will have to grow with you. Think: will you want to remodel, are you going to expand the family, or will you need to move again? These are all good questions to keep in mind and think about because you do not want to find yourself having to move again because of the need for more space right away. Unless you like moving a lot.
- Do your research!
It is very important to research property values in the area. Check out information like the neighborhood, school system, potential commute, crime rate, etc. Some other data points to look at include how long the house has been on the market, price changes since the listing was posted, the number of foreclosures in the area, property taxes expected, and any neighboring homes that recently sold. These are all great stats to look at to make sure you are buying the right home in the right area.
SINCE 1980 YOUNG & ASSOCIATES, WOOD-RIDGE, NJ HAS BEEN THE TOP PROPERTY MANAGEMENT & REAL ESTATE COMPANY FOR RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES THROUGHOUT THE NORTHERN AND CENTRAL NEW JERSEY AREA.
Located in Wood-Ridge, Bergen County, NJ, Young and Associates has over 30 years’ experience successfully managing residential and commercial properties in Northern and Central New Jersey.
Maintaining the highest standards of reliability and accountability, Young and Associates gives property owners peace of mind that comes from knowing their property is in trusting hands. Servicing properties primarily in Bergen, Passaic and Essex Counties, Young and Associates manages residential HOA communities, condos, co-ops and apartment complexes, golf courses and commercial properties.
Young and Associates now offers realty services through Young Realtors. Our licensed real estate brokers and associates can help you buy or sell your home. For more information about our services at Young & Associates, click here.
Young & Associates can be reached at (201) 939-8200.
