How to Find the Perfect Home for You and Your Budget Series

Taking that first step to buy your home can be scary and daunting. You may think, “Can I afford a home that I’ll love and that will meet my needs?”

It can be done. And I can show you how!

In my series, How to Find the Perfect Home for You and Your Budget, you’ll learn how to incorporate my strategies with your own, to find a home that is the right fit for your lifestyle, needs, and budget.

You’ll know what to do every single step of the way and avoid having that dreaded buyer’s remorse.  

Remember that your first home is most likely the stepping stone for your next home. You want to do it right the first time and set yourself up to be financially able to move up to the second home if and when the time comes.

Here’s a weekly run-down of our “perfect home”-buying formula:

Week 1 — 12 Questions to Ask Yourself Before You Step Foot in an Open House

Before you do anything else, you must evaluate your wants and needs for a home. It’s time to brainstorm and figure out what’s “under your hood” about what is best for you and your family. Your answers will set you on the right path! It will be the very first but most important step on your home-buying journey.

Week 2— Are You a “House” or a “Location” Person?

It’s time for some more self-evaluation and to determine what’s most important to you in your daily life at home. Usually, people tend to lean toward one or the other — a “house person” or “location person.” We ask this because it’s rare for any buyer to find their dream home in their dream location within their budget. That’s why you need to figure out what’s more important to YOU and where you’re willing to compromise.

Week 3 – The 3 Steps Most Buyers Skip When Buying a Home

I use a particular formula with clients to make sure they end up with the house that best fits their needs and budget.  It requires some patience to make certain things are done right. This is the most significant financial decision of your life, and it should be done slowly, steadily, and with precision.  This article will go over the three steps you need to take to lead you to the right home for your budget.  

Week 4 – How to Finance Your First Home Purchase

Most first-time buyers are newbies regarding mortgage loan options, interest rates, credit scores, and more.  Did you know you need to get pre-approved for a loan BEFORE you can start looking at homes with your agent? This article will go over why it’s essential to get the lender and pre-approval process done correctly so that you can move forward quickly if you want to make a serious offer on a home.

Week 5 – Putting It All Together

These three factors – budget, location, and your criteria for a home — are intertwined and play a key role in finding the “perfect” home for you. This article explains how these three factors influence each other in your search for a home; and how you “put it all together” is essentially your roadmap for house hunting. Going through this process and understanding how they’re linked will help you make the right decision on a home.

Week 6 – What You Need to Know About Buying for Schools

Kids or no kids, living in a neighborhood with excellent schools can benefit homeowners. For those of you with school-aged kids, “moving for schools” will most likely dictate the location of your next home. But, remember that fair housing laws prevent your real estate agent from offering any opinions on the quality of the schools or school districts.  This article is a great starting point on how you can best search for a home if a school district is your #1 priority.

Week 7 – “As Is” Home – Deal or No Deal?

Some first-time buyers may be tempted to buy an “as is” home if the price is right to get into a neighborhood they love.  You do need to tread carefully, though since there can be vast differences in the state of that “as is” condition.  Remember that the seller has no intention to do any repairs before selling it. This article will discuss the steps you should take if you plan to make an offer on an “as is” home and how to determine if it’s a deal or no deal.