Buying a home is a big deal! It is likely one of the biggest investments you’ll make in your life. Because of this, you’ll want to plan ahead and make sure that all of your needs are considered and expressed to your realtor, so you can find the home that is best for you.
Find a good realtor
First things first, make sure you find a realtor you ‘click’ with. Pick one that you feel best understands your needs, wants, and your overall vision for what you’re searching for in a home. If you have a realtor that you don’t have great chemistry with, you could waste a lot of valuable time.
Price range
What is your price range? Make sure your realtor knows this at the beginning of the home shopping process, so they don’t present you homes that are way out of your price range. You also want to make sure your realtor knows this, so they know the areas for homes to show you. Or if you’re looking for a home in a specific area or neighbourhood, they can make sure to show you only the homes in that area that meet your price range.
Needs and wants
Make a list of what you need to have, would like to have, and cannot have. This will make it much easier for your realtor to help you in your search of finding your ‘perfect’ home. For example, maybe a ‘cannot have’ would be to live on a busy main street since you want to live in quiet neighbourhood. Or, maybe a ‘need to have’ is living a reasonable distance from your work.
Timeline
When do you expect to move into your new home? Are you renting currently? When does your lease end? Are you selling your home currently and looking for a new one? These are all things to tell your realtor at the beginning of the home shopping process. If you don’t they could advise you on a house that will be gone by the time you hope to move in. Make sure you give your realtor as much information as possible such as the date you hope to move in.