Track Spending

Chances are that buying a new home will likely cinch your spending habits for a little while. The chances are also great that your spending habits will be completely redefined. Now is the time to get real with your spending. On a spreadsheet map out every cent that leaves your possession in a month and for what reasons. The key here is, to be honest with yourself and take a look at what can be removed or tweaked from the budget, long-term, to make room for your new home.

List Wants and Needs

While we are on the track of being real, here is a great time to define the difference between “want” and “need”. For instance, if you work from home a home office is a need, but if you only use your desk to pay bills then a home office could just be a “want”. These differences could not only save you big money but also open up your selections.

Interview Real Estate Agents

Really Interview agents. In this day and age, agents should be pretty easy to vet online as a preliminary step. Check their digital footprint. Do they present themselves in a way that resonates with you, do they have multiple testimonials and have they established themselves as an expert in your desired area. Once you meet with them, pay close attention to listening skills and vision sharing. Give them some broad details of what you are looking for and ask for their interpretations of the detailed solutions…do they match yours? Don’t be afraid to speak to multiple agents before you find the right one.

Select an area, but be flexible

You probably know the state you want to be in and even the general area, but start to look at specific neighborhoods and all that they have to offer. The most important thing when settling on a neighborhood is to get familiar with the surrounding neighborhoods as well. List out by preference your second, third, fourth, etc. choice for nearby neighborhoods. This flexibility will increase your odds of finding your dream home.

Max Proximity to Commerce and Services

When deep diving on your neighborhood resources do not discount services and shopping. You will wish you had when you have to run out at 9pm on a rainy night for batteries. Emergency and medical services are crucial as well. How close is the fire and police departments, how far do you have to go to fix a cut knee? Remember that you plan on being here a while and every scenario under the sun will play themselves out while this is your base of operations.

With a little planning and foresight, your dream home can become even dreamier than you imagined but also become more obtainable now!

Realtor

Give the Serrao Team a call at (925) 876-3756 for your Real Estate needs. We can’t wait to hear from you. Livermore Real Estate Agent * Pleasanton Real Estate Agent * Danville Real Estate Agent * San Ramon Real Estate Agent * Dublin Real Estate Agent

517 total views, 1 views today