Choosing a home is one of the biggest decisions of everyone's life - perhaps only things like who to marry, what career to enter into, and where to go to college rank higher in leading to one's satisfaction in life. And whether it's your first time or fifth, buying a home requires a commitment to doing research, working with a realtor, knowing what matters most to you, and paying close attention to details, deadlines, and fine print.



First Things First

If you're a first time owner, the most important consideration is to get pre-approved for a loan. So of course this requires finding and working with a mortgage broker who can get you the lowest interest rate possible on a loan that suits your needs. Once you've been pre-approved, the next steps include finding a realtor, determining what kind of home you want, and once you've found one, how much you're willing to bid for the house.

Find a good realtor you can trust

Finding the right realtor is a challenging process that may be helped by the resources available at the website below. The process requires knowing what matters in a realtor and what type of person you'd work with best. The most important qualities are someone who is honest and ethical, knows the market, listens well to your needs and interests, and is able to find and negotiate on your behalf once you've found the right home. It's appropriate to speak with numerous realtors on the phone to find the one that you feel most comfortable with.

What matters to you in your new home

In parallel with a finding a realtor, you'll want to compile a list of what matters to you in a home and what specifically you're looking for. Have you written down your criteria in finding the right place for you? Consider the size, location, neighbors, design, and curb appeal among the many factors that are important in making the right decision. Express these to your realtor, letting them know which are critical, which are important but negotiable, and which would be considered nice to haves, all else being equal. Obviously, price, size, and location are the three factors most commonly considered - depending on your marketplace, what you're looking for may or may not be available so be sure to give your realtor options.

How much are you willing to pay

The final determination is to consider how much you want to offer for the home. Now in most parts of the country, it's not necessary to go above the offering price - the supply may outweigh the demand or mitigate any need for buyers to go beyond what is being asked for. Along both coasts and in major metropolitan areas where demand is higher, you may need to go beyond what is being asked for. And in cases where there are multiple, keep in mind your criteria and whether this is absolutely the right home for you.