The thought of buying your first house could be quite intimidating. However, this is where this article can help you. This is because it will take you through to steps to owning your first home, helping to make your search a little easier.
1. Start Searching as Soon as You Can
Start looking for homes as soon as you can. Look online, in newspapers, and in magazines or Estate Agents. The sooner you look the sooner you’ll understand what type of home you like. If you’re looking for a house in the UK, you can use the UK SearchSmarty’s intelligent property search platform. This can help you to find the right home for you as it can narrow the search down a little. It will also help you to understand what the house prices are like.
2. Your Budget
When you have the opportunity to, you should sit down and work out what your budget is. This is hugely important because it will have a direct impact on which homes you can buy and which homes are out of your price range. The sooner you know what your budget is, the sooner you can start searching properly.
Make sure that you know you can make those mortgage payments every month. If you think you might struggle you should rethink your budget. Here is where a financial adviser could help you. They will help you to understand where you are with your finances and if you need to reconsider your budget.
3. Think About Your Children’s Needs
If you have children you will need to consider all of their needs, especially when it comes to the size of the yard and the number of bedrooms. If you have 2 children, for example, and they currently sleep in the same room they will need their own room at some point. This is because they will need more privacy as they grow up. If you plan on having more children you’ll need to make sure your future children have their own bedrooms too.
This means that while you only need a 2-bed house for the time being, in the future you might need a 4-bed house. Purchasing a home that has too many rooms right now will ensure you have future-proofed your home when your other children come along.
4. The Location
Let’s imagine that if you’re in San Jose, you’ll need to find a home and some local movers in San Jose who can help you to relocate. But you’ll also need to consider the location. Will you be moving to a part of the city that offers you everything you need?
One mistake that some house movers make is that they assume they’ll be able to travel to the local stores, schools, and parks with ease. However, you should check carefully that the location is right for you. Do you need to be in the center of the city or can you live somewhere a little quieter?
5. The Infrastructure
Do you need to have access to public transportation? Will you need to hit the highway every weekday? These are options that you need to consider before you sign on the dotted line. While you might find the perfect house, it’s no good if you don’t have easy access to public transportation or the interstate when you need it.
Think about where you need to be and how you’re going to get there. If you need to be able to jump on a train make sure you live near a train station.
6. The Neighborhood
What type of neighborhood are you looking for? Do you want the neighborhood to be family-friendly or ideal for young professionals? If you have children, the neighborhood will ideally have enough places for your kids to play and enough attractions to keep them occupied.
Try to find out where the good neighborhoods are in your ideal location. You should also try to avoid those bad neighborhoods as living there might not always be that easy. While homes are usually cheaper in bad neighborhoods, it’s usually worth paying a little more to live somewhere safer.
7. Where you Work
If you work from home, you won’t need to worry quite so much about your new home’s location. However, you might want to make sure you have enough space to work. If you’re not happy working from the kitchen table you might need an extra bedroom. Alternatively, you could look for a home that has a garage or an outbuilding that you could convert into an office.
If you don’t work from home, you’ll need to look for a house that is within traveling distance of your workplace.
8. Your Children’s Schools
The quality of the schools in your chosen destination can make a big impact on your child’s education. Try to move to an area that has good schools so your children have a better chance in life. Don’t be afraid to visit a few schools so you get a real taste for them. Ask if you can take your children with you so they can get a feel for the schools. They might be good at spotting something you haven’t noticed.
9. Viewing Homes
When it comes to viewing homes, make sure you know what you’re looking for. If a home is priced lower than other homes try to find out why. While you might be tempted to buy the first house you view, you should try to resist the temptation. This is because something better might come along. Make some notes when you view homes so you can refer to them later.
10. Buying Your First House
When you’re ready to buy your first house you should be prepared to negotiate. This never hurts the buying process, it just gives you the opportunity to pay a little less. Use a real estate agent to help you as they can show you some of the best homes in the area. They can also help you fill out the forms and ensure everything is going according to plan.
