First Time Home Buyer Guide: Tips for a Smooth Home Buying Experience

Excitement & Nervousness

Buying your first home is certainly an exciting time. It can also be a little unnerving. Below are a few simple tips to help you make the most out of buying your first home. Just remember, we are the home buying professionals and we have helped thousands of other first-time home buyers, just like you, purchase a home. You can count on our team to walk you through every step of your real estate transaction to your complete satisfaction.

Compromise & Communication

As a couple buying your first home, it is important to remember to be ready to compromise on a home’s features. In addition, you should practice maintaining good lines of communication. Maintaining good lines of communication with your partner, and with your REALTOR®, is important. It creates an efficient first-time home buying process, plus it will make your home buying experience much more pleasant!

Know the Difference Between What You Want & What You Need

Before searching for your first home, it's recommended you make a list of your "wants" and your "needs." Make sure your wants are what you “desire” in a home, while keeing your "needs" to what you absolutely must have in your first home.

Below are a few questions to help you prioritize your wants and needs in your first home:

• How close do you want to live to your office or to your family?
• Do you prefer to live in the country or city?
• Are K-12 schools or local universities important to your first home buying decision?
• Are you willing to pay homeowners dues for amenities like a golf course, tennis courts, swimming pool, walking trails, or other recreational facilities?
• Do you wish to purchase your first home near shopping centers?
• Are you looking for a neighborhood that contains younger families with small children?
• Are you looking for a quieter neighborhood environment with less small children?
• Has the neighborhood you are interested in held its value? Our agents can provide statistics.

Once you're ready to begin your search for your first home, remember these helpful house hunting tips:

• Always preview homes together with your REALTOR®. They will eliminate homes that fail to meet your search criteria and your financial situation.
• Keep track of the houses you’ve seen by taking photos and making notes.
• Be sure your notes reflect both positives and negatives about each home.
• We recommend you wear comfortable shoes and clothing.
• If you have small children, consider a babysitter. Once you've narrowed your choices, you can bring them along.
• Limit your daily search to 4 homes and homes that fit in your budget.

Are You Ready to Get Started?

After you have prioritized your wants and needs, now you're ready to begin your home search. Contact us, and we will schedule a first-time home buyers consultation to discuss how we will help make your first home buying dream come true.

For the Millennial Buyer, we also have a Millennial's Guide