Buying a home is no small task, as it involves a significant amount of planning and preparation to ensure you’re making the right decision. When starting out, we strongly suggest working alongside a realtor when entering the purchasing process. They take the guess work out of finding homes that fit your specific needs and will work to get you the best price possible. Read on for a few things to consider going over with your realtor.
Purchasing limitations – What are the limiting factors holding you back from purchasing a house right now? Whether it’s distance from friends and family, or a fear of commitment, you should identify what is holding you back from making certain purchases. Additionally, you should set a budget for yourself and a set amount that you’re willing to go over your budget to get your dream home. Very rarely will all aspects line up as planned, so make sure you’ve set a breaking point ahead of time so you don’t get caught up in a bidding war.
Location- This is one of the most important thing to consider when purchasing a home. Unless you’re planning to flip this home, you should be thinking about how the house your moving in to will last over a long period of time. Proximity to good schools are the first thing to consider for families with kids, and ensuring it’s a safe neighborhood is equally important. For some, keeping the range within driving distance of an urban centre is critical, whereas others may prefer rural settings with more room to spread out (those interested in rural living should check out our guide on Country homes here. Link to article 7) Whatever your preferences, you should make sure you know what they are prior to choosing your home.
Family– This one ties in with location but deserves a point of its own. Your family situation will primarily dictate where you choose to purchase a home and what you want in a home. You should plan on having enough rooms for all members of the family and that it’s within proximity to a good school if you have kids. If you have elderly family living with you, you can prioritize purchasing a home with increased accessibility. Additionally, perhaps if you yourself are looking to purchase a home to settle down for in retirement, you’ll want to consider an area such as Niagara-on-the-Lake (insert link of other blog article about retiring in NOTL) which caters more towards those in retirement. Making sure everyone in the family is happy and accounted for is of utmost importance when making such a large investment
Additional Deal Breakers – It’s critical to consider variables such as number of bathrooms, bedrooms, square footage, kitchen space/layout, and backyard space when communicating with your realtor. Working through these guidelines yourself and effectively communicating them with your agent means you’ll be thrilled with the options presented to you.
In summary, buying the perfect home can be a daunting task to go alone, as it’s one of the most important decisions people make. It’s important to remember that a realtor is professionally trained to help you find the best home at the best price for your unique situation. Communicating with them regarding the above points and where you stand for each of them is a great place to start and a great first conversation to have. Purchasing a home can be a frightening task, but if you’re prepared and work with the right people, you can focus on the exciting aspects of starting life in a new location.
