#1 Work with a reliable agent! (and LISTEN to them when they give you advice)
A great agent should help educate and guide you through the housing market, helping you find a home that matches your main criteria and using their personal and professional connections to show you options you may not have considered. Also, a great agent will understand the complex legalities that go into your purchase offer to protect your interests.
#2 Know what you’re looking for
Knowing what you want will help save time and narrow down the search. Prepare a list of must-haves, and don’t be afraid to get specific. List down how many bedrooms and bathrooms it should have, as well as home features that you’ll require.
#3 Get pre-approved for a loan
Secure financing
before
you embark on a home search. The last thing you want is look at homes, only to find out that you can’t afford them. Likewise, you might find out later on in the search that can afford more house than you initially thought. Getting pre-approved helps you avert these issues.
#4 Take care of your finances
In order to get pre-approved for a mortgage, you must be in a financial position to buy a home. This means taking good care of your credit score and putting off major purchases before your loan application. You’ll also need enough cash for the down payment, as well as enough money to cover your expenses and emergencies within the first few months of living in your new home.
#5 Be flexible
While it’s good to have a list of must-haves, you should also keep in mind that there’s no such thing as the perfect house. And while you shouldn’t compromise on important requirements, you need to be able to let go of the small things. Be flexible. That means prioritizing your main requirements and deciding which ones you can do without. That also means choosing a home that ticks most of the items on your checklist without obsessing over the small details of your wants and needs.