Something changes in your life to make you want to buy a home. There could be any number of things that cause this from a bigger family to retirement. The important thing is to realize what it is you want to buy. This means setting priorities. Not always the most fun thing to do but one of the most important if you want to end up with the right home for you.
Think about deciding to buy a home. What is the talk like around the dinner table? We can get through the easy issues first. Those being location and budget. At least you would think these would be the easiest. To find out your budget go to a lender. I have three lenders I can recommend depending on my client and their needs. That lets you know what you qualify for regarding a mortgage but it is not necessary to spend all of that money to get your home. The budget can be further defined within that qualification amount.
Location is another aspect all together. We will assume (yes I know what assume means) you know the state and the general vicinity. For this example we will use the North Texas area. While I specialize in Frisco, there are many areas in the DFW metroplex that may work for different reasons. Budget, work, schools, shopping, sports, future outlook, etc... are all things that need to be discussed and prioritized. It is OK to have several areas to choose from but the more priorities you loosely define versus fully define the tougher it will be to find the right home for you. This is especially true if you are working with a real estate agent.
If you cannot define your priorities how will you communicate them to your agent? More importantly how will you know when you have found the right home? Before you go running out looking for a home spend the extra time to fully define what you are looking to buy. This is not to say that some priorities don't change, but they certainly should not be the higher priorities. For example, it is easy to make a change saying you want an extra bedroom or living space. Changing that priority has minimal impact compared to changing from living in Frisco to Celina Texas. Frisco is a much more established city with great schools, easy access to various highways, and a Frisco home typically costs more money than a Celina home.
If you think of your priorities like a pyramid the bottom layer(s) is going to be your foundation. This is where budget, work, schools, and resale value may set the base of your search. As you continue to move up the pyramid things can more easily be changed. The best way to help yourself (and your agent) is to define that foundation of what you are looking for in your next home. This allows both you and your agent to search efficiently and find that home.
I spend time with my clients helping them define their priorities. When they set there priorities, we (my clients and I) have a defined target to hit. When your priorities continuously change or your foundation slips, your search for a home will be slow, tedious and even painful at times. When you are ready to set your priorities for your next home, give me a call and find out what my clients have found out—Your Success is My Focus
Comments(2)