How to buy a house you love

Decorah & Cresco – July 20, 2017 – When it’s time to start thinking about buying your first home, it’s easy to let your emotions take over. Before you start looking, do some research to avoid costly mistakes that might keep you up at night in the future. It’s all too easy to buy a house you can’t afford, and that can affect your ability to build wealth in the long run. Understanding steps of the home-buying process helps you make smart decisions.

First, you should know that buying a house takes time. According to the National Association of Realtors, the average home buyer looks for around 10 weeks or more. No house – even that adorable cape cop with the perfectly manicured flower garden is worth rushing to buy until you are ready. Take some time to learn how to buy that house to save you from buying pains later. The decisions you make in the home-buying process can make a difference between a home that is a blessing for many years to come or a bully that keeps bugging you for more lunch money. For people that do their homework, buying a house isn’t a stressful, draining experience. It can actually be a lot of fun, especially if you’re making smart decisions with your head and not your heart.

Here are a few tips to get you started:

• Set a realistic time-frame for the home buying process
• Find out how much home you can really afford. Start with a calculator.
• Calculate how much you’ll need for a down payment
• Learn how to buy a house with confidence. Find an experienced support team.
• Interview more than one real-estate agent – true professionals enjoy tough questions
• Figure out your must-haves in your first house
• Get a home inspection, appraisal, and final mortgage approval
• Be prepared to pay property tax, homeowner’s insurance, and possibly even homeowner’s association fees
• Know what to expect from contract signing until your celebratory closing day

When you are ready to make one of the biggest financial decisions of your life, you’ll want the backing of experts. You’ll want a house that fits your needs and your budget. You don’t have to do this alone. Learn more from our mortgage team.