Hello World! Welcome Friends! Tips and tricks for searching for a dream home range from the obvious – knowing your budget and desired location to more creative ideas such as searching for homes in different neighborhoods, checking out open houses, speaking with real estate agents, and visiting other areas in person. The search for a perfect home should be an enjoyable process, so keep your spirits up and remember these tips!
Location
This tip should be obvious but it’s easy to get caught up in finding a beautiful home and forget about the most important aspect of your purchase: location. If you’re working with a specific budget and want an average-sized house (for example, 2,000 sq ft), make sure you find homes within that price range in the right area. You’ll want to look specifically for homes in your location, so, if you live in Canada, look for Edmonton homes for sale in Canada. And, for example, if you have a budget of $400,000 and want a 5-bedroom home with a large yard in a safe neighborhood for your family, set your search parameters at the top 5% of homes in the price for that area. This way you won’t be tempted to purchase a run-down 3 bedroom house just because it’s cheap and you’ll have room to save money elsewhere.
Good Neighborhoods
If there was only one tip we could give to you, it would be to find a good neighborhood. This is another aspect of location that should not be ignored. There are so many behaviors and actions that can occur in one area versus another and if you fall victim to any one of the negative aspects of a less than desirable neighborhood, it can lower your quality of life. So try these steps:
- Visit the neighborhoods on your list during different times of day and night
- Find quiet streets (no highway noise) and busy streets (lots of traffic or businesses nearby) within each neighborhood
- Is there good overall lighting? Are some areas dark due to a lack of street lights? Or does it seem like there’s too much light due to too many street lights?
- Find local grocery stores, churches, schools, parks – all the things that are important to you in your daily life.
Safety
Make sure that you’re not getting caught up in online reviews of the area. Although they may be true, these people write their opinion after having time to process exactly what happened and what it could mean for future residents of the neighborhood. For example, if a murder or robbery occurs within a certain neighborhood, unless you know exactly where it occurred (and how far away from your house), then there’s no reason this incident should alter your opinion of the location. Try speaking with current residents since they’ll offer insight into whether or not this information is relevant to you.
Open Houses
If you’re new to an area or looking for an address change that will allow you to attend different open houses around town, then this is the perfect tip for you! Of course, opening up your schedule can take some time but there are many benefits. Don’t get caught up in building cliches like “there is plenty of other fish in the sea.” You’ll find your dream home when you identify your dream house. So, if this is one step to finding the perfect home for you, there’s no reason not to go.
Open houses also give you a chance to tour homes that are out of your price range but were at least interesting to visit or learn about. You may even be able to ask questions or meet the former owners! This way, the next time you’re looking for a specific item – like a nice lawn-mower – you won’t have to buy it brand new and can find it used through someone who previously owned it at an open house event.
Real Estate Agents
Not only are they well-informed about the home buying market, but they’ll also be able to provide you with great insight into neighborhoods and homes in your price range! No agent wants their client to make a purchase that they will regret due to misdiagnosed information used as a basis for making an offer on a house. If you feel out of your depth or overwhelmed by this process, there’s nothing wrong with reaching out for help from professionals who are educated in this field.
The more informed you are before deciding on your dream home, the better equipped you’ll be during negotiations! Visit all the areas that best suit your needs. The search for a dream home should be an enjoyable process! Keep your spirits high and don’t let anything discourage you from reaching for the stars.
Click the links below for any posts you have missed:
Reasons to Consider a Custom Home
Keep High Traffic Areas Of The Home Clean
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Thanks for stopping by! Have a wonderful day/night depending on where you are in the world! Go with God and remember to be kind to one another!
Toodles,
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