Purchasing a new home is SO EXCITING! However, along with the excitement, comes the weight of so many DECISIONS you’ll need to make to ensure you choose the best home for you. Keep in mind that every house has its good and not so good features. You’ll need to weigh a lot of factors when DECIDING which home to make an offer on!
So… let’s get started with the basics—your price point. Your very first step is to determine how much of a house you can qualify for and then DECIDE if you feel comfortable with that monthly payment. No one wants to be “house poor” and remember, homes are meant to be blessings not burdens. Finding a good lender that will help you with these financial DECISIONS is extremely important.
Once you have your price point, you need to DECIDE the area and type of neighborhood that you want to live in. Do you want a neighborhood with Swim/Tennis or other specific amenities? What about an HOA? Is there a specific area you prefer to live in? How far is your commute, is the school district important, do you like to be close to shopping and restaurants or are you good with a little drive to get to them?
Now that you’ve got your price point and area/neighborhood narrowed down it’s time to DECIDE about all the details of your home. Would you prefer a townhome or condo without the worry of lawn maintenance but with your neighbors up close and personal? Or are you more of a single-family homeowner who enjoys yard work and a little more personal space? Do you want a deck/patio and if so, do you prefer your view to be a big back yard or your next-door neighbors? Garage vs. Carport vs.
Driveway for parking. You’ll need to DECIDE on some key points in the home—how many bedrooms & bathrooms do you need? What style of home suits your lifestyle—large open concept or cozy cottage feel? If stairs are a DECIDING factor consider a ranch style home with all of the living space on one level or a two-story home with the master on the main. If you’re good with stairs, a two story with all the bedrooms upstairs is a contender along with a split level home that has living space and the garage on one level, the living room/kitchen a few steps up and the bedrooms over the garage. DECISIONS need to
be made on important features in the home—separate office space, playroom for the kids, fireplace,
upgraded kitchen, storage space? Do you want a basement?
Discuss all of the elements that you’ve DECIDED are important to you with your realtor. In today’s market with limited inventory, it’s going to be extremely difficult to check every box on your list. However, now that your realtor knows what’s important to you, she is better equipped to find you that home or one that needs a few “tweaks” to become that perfect home.
Reach out at 404-862-8244 and tell me what you’ve DECIDED your perfect home would look like and let’s begin the search!
