Buying a home is one of the most important and exciting decisions you’ll make in your life. Before you look for your first home, it’s important to know what you’re getting into. This can be an exciting time, but it can also be stressful and difficult to decide about the process.
Housing prices have been on the rise for years, and it’s no wonder that more and more people are considering buying their first home. Whether you’re a young adult looking to buy your first place or someone who has just retired from work, there is a lot to think about before taking the plunge.
There are many aspects involved with purchasing property that you may not have considered before. In this article we will discuss 21 tips for first-time home buyers that will help make sure you don’t forget any important steps when it comes time to buy!
Tips on preparing to buy your first home
1. Check your savings and start preparing early
Plan to have three to six months of living expenses in your emergency savings before you purchase a house. It’s much easier to plan when you start early!
Work out a budget and save for a down payment to avoid tapping into savings. Better yet, to avoid having to use your savings as a down payment, take time to save money for one so you can purchase the home outright. Do this only if it is something practical for you.
2. Figure out your budget and what you can afford
Be realistic about what you can afford and be prepared to compromise on some features. Start with a budget so you know how much money is available to put towards the purchase of your first home. There are plenty of free online tools like Mint (mintapp.com) that can help make this process go smoother if it’s done correctly ahead of time.
Investigate some personal finance software such as Quicken before starting on a budget. They may automate parts of the process for you rather than doing everything manually, which will save a lot of time.
3. Be flexible with your budget
Don’t let yourself get caught up in “must haves” or “deal breakers”. You might get carried away and spend more than you budgeted for.
If there are features you’re not sure about, talk to a real estate agent or an attorney before deciding. They can give insights on which could be the best option if it’s something that really matters to you.
This doesn’t mean you can’t consider adding on to your budget. If you have lined up your budget the right way, you’ll be able to change your approach when deciding your ultimate home buying budget.
4. Spend some time reviewing your spending habits
It’s important to know how much you are spending regularly and where your money is going. Consider taking some time to track your spending habits in order to help you remain disciplined and stay on budget.
As mentioned in step 2, you can keep your finances in order by setting up a tracking tool. You can use those calculations to understand you how much you can allocate to a mortgage payment.
A complete checklist of expenses to consider for first-time homebuyers can include: utilities, food, car payments and maintenance, student debt, clothes for kids’ activities, entertainment money, retirement savings. It may also be helpful to set aside regular savings and a miscellaneous fund.
Tips on choosing how to pay for your home
5. Shop around for the best mortgage rates and fees
There are many different types of mortgages available, each with their own set of eligibility requirements. The amount of the down payment and income requirements will vary depending on the type of mortgage.
Lenders have different rates and fees, so it’s important to understand how a lender structures their loans. The interest rate on a home can play a major part in your decision to purchase it. A difference of half a percent in the interest rate may not seem like much, but it could save you a lot of money over time.
When you compare lenders, it is not about the cost. You must also consider other factors. You also need to find a lender that provides unparalleled customer service, responds quickly, is available for answering questions and has a streamlined process for issuing mortgages. Comparisons are important when considering a mortgage, so shop around for the best loan options.
6. Determine your eligibility for a home mortgage
Before you start shopping for a home, it is important to know how much money the lender will let you borrow. Factors such as how much debt you have, your monthly income, and how long you’ve been at your current job will be used to assess your eligibility.
It’s important to clarify with the lender how much you can afford before looking at home listings. When looking for your next home, pay more attention to the monthly payment you can afford rather than fixating on the maximum loan amount you qualify for.
Before purchasing a home, determine if your financial obligations have enough wiggle room to allow for the monthly payments. When buying a home, you should consider all aspects of your financial situation.
Similarly, honesty is the best policy. Being honest with your lender or mortgage broker during the process will ensure a smoother transaction and no surprises later on down the line. It’s important to be aware of your ability to repay a loan before committing yourself to the purchase.
7. Get pre-approved for a loan
One of the first steps you should take before looking for a house is getting pre-approved. This can help with the process in a few different ways, such as figuring out how much you can afford.
This will help narrow down your search with that information. A letter of pre-approval also shows to the sellers and realtors that you’re ready to buy your home.
Keep in mind that there is a difference between pre-qualification and pre-approval. Your lender may give you a sign of how much they may be willing to lend you before the mortgage process starts (pre-qualification). This will stop short of giving you formal approval for the full amount needed to purchase your home (pre-approval).
Preapproval requires a thorough analysis on your credit history, income stability, debt-to-income ratio and assets. It serves as a formality that will help assure both parties in this big transaction are fully comfortable moving forward.
8. Figure out the ideal amount for your down payment
A down payment is one of the necessary components for purchasing a home and is typically made up of cash you saved up for the purchase.
Before you search for your first home, it’s important to know how much money you’ll need in order to purchase it. A down payment usually starts at 20%.
Putting down some money can minimize your risk and help you start off with equity. This helps you avoid major monthly payments, increases your selection of properties, and may even allow flexibility on the terms of the purchase. A down payment often makes your offer more enticing for the sellers and can improve your negotiating power.
Tips on how to look for your first home
9. Find a qualified real estate agent
A good real estate agent will search for the homes that fulfill your needs and guide you through the early process, the negotiation, and closing stages. Before you start your home search, find a knowledgeable real estate agent and make sure they’re in it together with you.
Interview at least a couple of real estate agents and check for references before selecting one to represent you during the purchase of your home. When selecting a realtor, ask them about their experience in the local market and what they will do to help you find your dream home.
Qualified real estate agents can help you avoid potential pitfalls during the process of buying a home. Agents typically get paid when a home sells, either a commission (paid by the seller) or hourly wages.
10. Determine your priorities
Begin by considering the style, location, size and identify which features you want in your home. These could include the number of bedrooms or bathrooms, style or lot size.
Your new dream home is likely already playing on your mind with its expansive ceilings, open floor plan and stainless steel appliances.
Have you thought about what is most important to you in a home? Before you think about painting the walls and getting involved with things like landscaping, take a few minutes to consider these big-picture issues before you get too far into the purchase process. How many bedrooms do you need now, and how many will you need as your family grows? Do you want a multi-car garage or an expansive backyard?
11. Research your neighborhood
Before you start your search, find out which schools are nearest to the home as well as what other nearby amenities there are.
Are there any nearby parks, grocery stores, and other features? Are you looking for a place with shorter commutes, proximity to downtown areas, and is within walking distance of necessary amenities?
Getting familiar with the neighborhood is one of the most important steps in making a purchase. Ideally, you should visit on different days and times to get an idea about not only traffic but also how people interact with each other, since this will be your home for many years.
It’s also critical that you keep an open mind as some neighborhoods are busy all night whereas others are quite quiet at all hours.
12. Ask friends or family for their opinion on neighborhoods that you're considering
Yes, while this may not be something you expected, it is an often-overlooked step. While you should have a strong support system in place, it might be worth reaching out to your friends and family. They just might know about an available home that is perfect for you.
Even if they don’t know an available home, they may have heard of an excellent location where the properties fit your needs. Think of this as a chance to gain some valuable insight from people who know you best. At the end of the day, you got nothing to lose, and you’ll get more information, for free.
Tips on completing your first-time home purchase
13. Get a home appraisal
When shopping for a home, your lender will order an appraisal to determine the property’s market value. In order to ensure that you pay only what’s owed on your new home, make sure that the appraised value is at or above the purchase price. If your home appraisal falls below the purchase price, you may need to renegotiate for a lower price.
The seller will probably have a hard time receiving more than the appraised value from another buyer. One other option you may want to consider is requesting a second home appraisal, which you or the seller will pay for.
There are two choices when you have buyer’s remorse: you can walk away from the deal and start looking for another house, or you could stick around and try to work out a deal.
14. Organize and attend the home inspection
Getting an inspection on the home is unnecessary, but it will give you peace of mind to know that you’re getting a quality property.
An inspection is essential to the buying process for a first-time buyer. It will allow you to get an in-depth look at the condition of your future home, identify any issues with utilities, and explore all available nooks and crannies.
Purchasing a home can be one of the most important investments you make in your life. In order to prevent costly mistakes, it’s important that you hire a professional inspector before purchasing anything. Make sure the contractor inspects all parts of the home – from the foundation, to electrical work and plumbing. Try having them walk through with you so they can point out any potential issues and answer questions that come up during your inspection.
The inspection is an excellent opportunity for you to have some of your concerns addressed. If there are any points raised in the disclosures that you disagree with, make sure it’s resolved before signing anything that formalizes these expectations.
If the inspector lists any repairs needed on a home you’re considering buying, you can tell the seller and negotiate a lower sale price during negotiations. If the home fails inspection, back out of it to avoid blowing your budget through costly repairs.
15. Check HOA documents and requirements
If you plan to buy into a subdivision or condo complex, you may be obligated to meet the monthly upkeep of shared spaces and expenses. These could include many things: for example, the rent for an HOA administrative office, lawn services if these are contracted out on behalf of all homeowners in your neighborhood, landscaping supplies (lawn mowers etc.), not to mention larger-scale items such as plumbing repair or security.
While some HOA fees are paid once annually and can be quite affordable, others in more expensive urban areas run several figures apiece monthly.
Homebuyers should know that HOA dues could vary by community, depending on the condition and age of the property, and local standards. As with any purchase, it is critical to confirm these fees before making an offer. These costs will affect a buyer’s maximum mortgage payment, so it is important people get all the details upfront to avoid any surprises.
16. Negotiate directly with the seller
Sometimes, talking directly with the seller can be beneficial. Make sure your realtor is present to help clarify things when needed. If you’re looking at offering a seller an incentive to sell the property, consider asking them for some of the closing costs. Keep in mind that there are limits on how much of the total cost they can cover, which may depend on your lender.
The more potential buyers in an area, the less negotiation power you have. Watch out for high demand regions and strategize with your real estate agent to understand how this will affect both the purchase of a home and negotiating technique during negotiations.
17. Don't be afraid of making an offer
Your agent will help you make a competitive offer that meets your needs and property requirements. When you submit an offer on a home, the seller’s agent will present it to the seller. The homeowner can then accept your offer or send a counteroffer with different terms.
You can either accept the offer, or go back and forth until you reach a deal on your own. If it really doesn’t work out for you, don’t be afraid to walk away. Before you make the biggest purchase of your life, it is important to know what your options are before you sign on any dotted lines.
18. Buy adequate home insurance
Before finalizing your loan, you’ll be required to purchase homeowner’s insurance. Homeowner’s rates vary depending on the company and location where you live, so make sure to shop around before locking down your policy.
Insurance will be a key component in purchasing your home, so make sure you understand the coverage. First-time home buyers sometimes find that buying insurance by paying less leaves you with insufficient coverage. When the issue arises and your home is damaged, I left you only able to deal with it on a case-by-case basis.
You’ll also want to consider where you live and what will be most relevant for your home. For example, if you live in an area prone to flooding or a coastal region, flooding and windstorm insurance may be a good purchase.
19. It's important to be prepared for the closing process
Home buying entails several transaction fees. You usually pay these when the deal is completed, when you pay the owner and they turn ownership over to you.
Closing on your new home is the last step of owning property. This is especially important for first-time homeowners as this document solidifies all previous work and starts you off with a new, rewarding experience that will hopefully lead to more opportunities.
Before closing on your purchase, be sure to take these steps:
- Look at all contracts and paperwork thoroughly
- Make sure they completed all financing arrangements before signing papers
- Check in with your lender to ensure they have submitted correctly proper payment information
Make sure that all those who are on the loan (i.e., co-signers, spouses) are present at the closing.
20. Start thinking and planning about tomorrow
The costs that come with homeownership can be unexpected. There may be a time when you have to replace the roof or get a new water heater. Establish an emergency fund for your home so that you’re prepared.
One very important thing to consider when purchasing a home is the potential for future costs. Regular maintenance can help decrease repair expenses by addressing problems early on, before they become larger or more complicated.
Be diligent and always look out for your best interests.
21. Remember to celebrate the moment!
Buying a home is an exciting and life-changing process, so don’t forget to enjoy it along the way! Many people often overlook this step.
When you think about all of those people who helped make this possible – from real estate agents and mortgage brokers to family members – be sure to thank them with a small token or gesture of appreciation.
Take pictures too because once the papers are signed and they’re gone, their help will still live on in memories for years after that transaction has closed. Finally, take a moment to absorb everything and enjoy the moment!
Final thoughts and tips for the first-time home buyers
Buying a home can be an intense and emotional process. The decision to buy is often fraught with conflicting feelings about timing, affordability, location, size of the property or neighborhood features like schools.
It’s important not only to know what you want in your next home but also how much you are willing and able to spend on it. You need realistic expectations so that when something doesn’t work out as planned – and things won’t always go smooth – you’ll have enough time left before the end of the year to find another place.
The first time you buy a home is one of the most important decisions in your life. It’s not just about where to live, but how much it will cost and what type of mortgage options are available. That’s why we put together this blog post for anyone looking to purchase their first home.
We hope our suggestions ensure you make an informed decision when purchasing a property and avoid common pitfalls like overpaying or taking on too much debt at once.
What tips do you have for people who want to plan to buy their first home? Let us know by leaving some comments below!