How To Find the Perfect House to Buy

You can only find the “perfect” house in if you know what you’re looking for before you start your search. And you can save considerable time and money if you talk over the following points with your real estate agent. This will help you focus in on the best possible matches for you.

Where do you want to live? Perhaps you wish to be close to your place of employment so your daily commute is quick. Maybe it’s important for you to be near your parents or in-laws, if you have young children. We have many choices: urban, suburban, rural, etc. Realtors traditionally say that there are three factors to finding the “right” home: “Location, location, and location!” The important point to remember, though, is that I want to help you find your “right location”.

Are there certain features in a home that you must have? For instance, if you’re a gourmet cook, you’ll need a large kitchen. If you have children, you’ll need extra bedrooms, and perhaps yard space. Perhaps there are features you would like in a home, but are not necessarily critical, like a fireplace or a finished basement. I’ve prepared a handy tool called a “Home Wish List” to help you sort through your preferences for home features.

Do you like the neighborhood you’re considering? How much do you know about it? A healthy, vibrant local industry is critical to maintaining property values, as are good schools. It’s a good idea to scan several month’s worth of headlines from the neighborhood’s local newspaper. You can also go online to check out the area’s demographics, crime rates, etc. The local Chamber of Commerce is also a great resource for useful information. They usually provide free resource packets for visitors. Make sure to learn the health of the area you’re considering.

Are you working with a local realtor? It’s important to use a realtor who knows the area really well. It’s also important to feel comfortable with your realtor. After all, you’ll be sharing personal information with her. You can find the names and contact information for realtors in the local phone book or online.

Can you visit the neighborhood? While it’s a good idea to search online for homes that are for sale in the neighborhood, it’s an even better idea to visit the neighborhood in person. There’s nothing like slowly driving by a house for sale and seeing it in the context of everything around it. It’ll give you a “feel” for the place that online pictures just can’t.

Have you spoken with a Loan Officer about pre-approval for a mortgage? The pre-approval process saves you a lot of time and helps you narrow your search. Your loan officer will give you a pre-approval letter that identifies the price range of homes you can afford. It’s also an important tool to have on-hand to show a seller that you’re a serious buyer.

If you consider the above points when you start to search for a home, you’ll be in a great position to know the right property immediately when you see it.

Author Susanne Novak is a full time Columbus real estate agent specializing in helping home owners buy properties at discounted prices. Her blog shows how to find and successfully purchase the best Columbus OH Homes for Sale.

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