Buying a home is a hugely important experience in the lives of many people. It’s exciting – a sign of becoming an adult, of starting a life with someone, of beginning a family. However, as exciting as it is, how joyous of an occasion when you finally make your final decision and purchase, it’s important to take into consideration a number of things before ultimately pulling the trigger. From neighborhood to total cost, there are many things to take into account before making a final decision and purchasing the home of your dreams. This is especially important for first time home buyers, who make up more than thirty percent of all potential home owners, as they are less likely to understand the way that real estate and the housing market operates, and less likely too to be aware of what they are really looking for in a (at least semi) permanent home. This is why it’s so important to schedule home tours and attend open houses with regularity while you are in the market for a home. It’s important to see what’s out there just as it is important to compare your options as much as you can, getting a taste of many different home styles, neighborhoods, and price points.
Contacting a real estate agent right when you get into the process of looking at homes is a good idea, for both first time home buyers and people looking for another home. A real estate agent can help you to find neighborhoods that best suit the lifestyle that you are looking to need. For instance, more and more people are looking to live in neighborhoods that are easy to walk around, particularly millennials and baby boomers. More than half of the people considered to be a part of these two generations prefer to live in what is referred to as a “walkable” neighborhood, and it is especially ideal for those with young children, as a walkable neighborhood is likely to have plentiful space to play and a high level of safety standards. However, the same neighborhood will not be the right fit for absolutely everyone. While many prefer more sprawling, walkable neighborhoods, there are certainly those who enjoy urban environments. These people will often thrive best in a city setting, and may look into purchasing a townhouse or even a condo in their nearest metropolitan area. A real estate company is likely to focus on a specific neighborhood in its area, and so it is important to choose a real estate company in an area that you are interested in living. These real estate agents are likely to be knowledgeable about the neighborhoods that they show homes and apartments in, and nearly eighty percent of all those who worked with a real estate agent found their advice to be extremely helpful in finding a home.
It’s also important to consider your budget, especially for the more than sixty percent of home owners who are either thirty five years old or even younger than that. The vast majority of homeowners have mortgages, but it is important to consider how much of a down payment you’re willing and able to make. This is also important in considering what houses on the market are within your budget. Theoretically, you can pay all of your home with a mortgage, but this will mean that there is even more to eventually pay off and is far from advisable.
Buying a home is an exciting process, but the real estate world can often be overwhelming. In order to combat this, it is important to be prepared. Know what you want, and where to look for it. Consulting with and working together with a real estate agent is often advisable as well.