4 Tips To Help You Find Your Perfect Home

10/9/2022

There are few purchases that a person can make in their life that are larger or more significant than a buying new home. For one thing, a new home is likely to be the most expensive item you will ever purchase. Moreover, it can be an incredibly frustrating experience for a lot of folks. From finding a reputable real estate agent and mortgage company, to hiring an attorney, appraiser and home inspector, the entire home buying process can seem pretty complicated. And with so much time, money and effort that goes in to buying a new home, you want to be sure you find the perfect home.

couple standing in front of a condo complex with a for sale sign in the grass

4 Tips To Help You Find Your Perfect Home

1. Price
Obviously, price is going to be one of the first things you consider when purchasing a new home. Just how much home can you afford? This is easily determined through a pre-approval process with a mortgage company or broker. They will help determine your FICO score (credit score), your income to debt ratio and other factors involved in calculating your price range. If your dream home is out of your realm of possibilities for now, then you need to think about the some of the things on your wish list that you'd be willing to compromise for the sake of a lower price. Factors such as size, location, amenities and condition will impact how much a home will cost, and it's up to you to strike a balance and come to a decision that you're happy with.

2. Size And Space
How much space do you really need? Ultimately purchasing a property that doesn't have the right amount of space can be an incredibly frustrating experience. At the same time, many new homeowners are considering "starter homes". That is, a home that is "good enough for now".

But if you are planning to start a family, or already have a family, then you're going to need a lot more space than a starter home can offer.

On the flip side, perhaps you are single and don't really need spare rooms or large amounts of storage space, in which case a condominium, townhouse or even that starter home would be perfect for you.

There is also the third, almost secret option where you can look at building the perfect property. There are providers like The House Plan Shop that have various styles to suit people's budgets, or you can take inspiration from those folks who have built their own homes.

man laying on a carpet with a laptop and a magnifying glass looking at a map

3. Location, Location, Location
A home's location has a much larger impact on it's purchase price than a lot of folks tend to realize. If you're looking for a home you're actually going to occupy (as opposed to, say, an investment property), make sure you visit the property at different times of the day. Check out the neighborhood's surroundings, the flow of traffic, it's noise levels and the like. This isn't always an issue, but there have been plenty of occasions where the location of a property seemed totally fine during the day, but at night the occupants have had to deal with a cacophony of wailing sirens and screaming neighbors. Be sure to do your own homework when it comes to neighborhoods, too. Check online for real estate listings, perform neighborhood comparisons and compare property values.

You May Also Like:

4. Style
When you're looking for a home, it's a really good idea to think carefully about style. A common mistake that a lot of home buyers make is to assume that style is something that you can impose upon a home once you move in. I remember when I was house hunting many years ago I came upon a quaint cape. On the outside, it was blue, wood shingled with white shutters. Inside, it was glass, marble and chrome. Like, huh? No shade toward the homeowner's taste in furnishings, but it was a style better suited to a more contemporary home, or perhaps even a penthouse!

By thinking carefully about the kind of environment that you want to live in and the kind of style that you like to create, you're able to figure out exactly what kind of property would give you the best possible canvas for your own personal expression.

Bottom line--if you really want your perfect home then you have to know what you’re looking for. If you’re truly unsure of your wants and needs, consult a real estate agent. They know just what to ask of a potential homeowner, and will do their best to find you not only what you want, but what you need.

Happy house hunting!

2 Comments