My husband and I just moved into our new house after months of searching for the right one. Looking for a house can be difficult and stressful, especially if you're trying to move in a hurry like we were. While I'm not an expert on house hunting, we learned a lot along the way. I decided to share some of our experiences and some tips that I learned while looking for a new home in a series of new posts. I hope some of these will help you in your next move!
You can refine your search before you even get in the car to go look at a listing. Here are 5 things to do before you start seeing houses in person:
- Get pre-approved for a mortgage. This may seem like an obvious one, but I'm surprised by how many people shop for a house without even knowing how much they can afford to borrow. Getting pre-approved narrows your search so you can eliminate homes that you can't afford. Plus, when you do find a house you'd like to put an offer on, you can inform the buyer you are pre-approved and show them you're prepared. Don't fall in love with a house only to later find out you can't get approval from your lender. Do this step first and shop within your means.
- Make two lists.Sit down and make two lists of what you’re looking for in a house. Obviously things like a fireplace or pool are perks, so be more specific and make a list that is more definitive based on your needs. How many bedrooms and bathrooms do you need? What's the most you can afford to spend? Are you looking for a fixer upper, or something move in ready? What location is best for your family? All of these can help a realtor narrow your search based on things you aren't willing to sacrifice. A secondary list that includes your lists of wants can help you further decide the right home for you. Doing this helps your realtor know what is a priority for you and avoids you driving to a bunch of houses that are too outdated, or too small, or too far out of town, just because they have a pool. Making a list of must-haves and would-likes helps your realtor find you a home that meets all of your needs and, hopefully, most of your wants.
- Don’t judge a house by the picture.A house might surprise you in person. The pictures may not do the home justice, or they might make it look way better than it is. Professional pictures can make a space look bigger and more appealing, and amateur pictures might not capture the true charm of the house. It can be hard to narrow down which homes to go look at, so we established which houses that were worth seeing by the information on the listing. Sites like Zillow and Trulia give great insight into a house without needing to get in the car. You can find out when the home was built, if the roof has been recently replaced, and other upgrades and features right from the listing. This significantly helped us decide what was worth seeing so that we weren't just judging the house by the photos.
- Be cautious of flips. Flipping houses is a big trend
right now. Keep in mind, you can buy a house, update paint colors and add some
new flooring on your own pretty cheaply, so learn to look past cosmetic changes (the dining room in our new house is turquoise). However, not every update is an easy fix. Be realistic about what you can fix on your own, and what will cost a lot of money to hire someone to do. Kitchens and bathrooms are the most pricey and time consuming upgrades, so if you're not willing to spend the time and money, steer clear of homes that need the kitchen gutted. To easily tell if a house has been flipped, you can view the last sale price on Zillow. If it was purchased three months ago for
80,000 and is listed at 200,000, someone is trying to turn a quick profit
on the home. Consider buying a home that has
been flipped only if the price per square foot falls in line with the
neighborhood comps. Houses that have been flipped may not give a great return on your investment. They tend to be the most expensive house in the neighborhood - and there may be cosmetic updates that are hiding structural damage - so be cautious of seeing houses that have been flipped recently.
- Research the location. ALWAYS Google map a house before you go see it in person. Look at it from the street view and check out the surrounding houses (like a true creep). If it doesn’t look like a street you’d want to live on – pass. Also, do research on the the zip code and see if the house is zoned for a good school. Even if you don't have children, a house with a good school district is better for resale and holds it's value. If you're moving to a new city and you aren't sure which areas are best, doing some research on neighborhoods in the area can help you at least decide where you don't want to live.
I hope that these tips, while obvious, are still helpful! Stay tuned for my next post where I share 10 things to look for in a house you're considering buying. Let me know in the comments below what you think is important to keep in mind while house hunting!
