Steps for buying your first home

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Buying your first home is a huge rung on the adult ladder, but if you have no idea how it works, what you need to do or even how to prepare for it, we are here to offer you a guiding hand! Naturally, your real estate agent will be able to give you some pointers and help to manage your buying process, but you really do need to know where to start, which is why we are going to simplify things for you today. Come with us now as we give you an overview of the main things to consider when you start looking to buy your first house!

1. The dream.

Every foray into buying a home starts with one thing; a dream! You'll know exactly what kind of house you want, in an ideal world and will be looking forward to owning a space that you can decorate exactly as you please. As soon as you feel the urge to buy kicking in, make a list of things you would love to find in a property and then, start thinking about these…

2. Decide on an area.

There is absolutely no point in thinking about buying a property until you have a good idea of the area in which you are willing to live. Schools, commuting times and amenities will all play major roles in your decision. This will save you lots of time, viewing homes that are simply impractical for you.

3. Focus in on a budget.

If you are getting really serious about property ownership, you need to have your finances in order. Hiring a financial planner is a good idea, as they can help you to see what kind of deposit you have access to and how big of a mortgage you are eligible for, given your earnings. With these figures to hand, you can settle on a realistic and affordable budget and then narrow your search a little more.

4. Start viewing.

This is one of the most exciting steps to buying a house! The more homes that you can view, the better, as you will naturally start to recognize preferences that you had no idea you were harboring, for example, certain styles or architecture! You will also probably start to make some unconscious decisions as to color schemes as well.

5. Make a list of non-negotiables.

When you start to notice that you are leaning towards certain styles of properties, colors and spaces, you can sit down and make yourself an honest list of all those elements that your first home absolutely needs to include. You never know, if you buy a house that has everything you really want, you might never need to move again!

6. Listen to your head and heart.

So many people will tell you to ignore your heart when buying property, as that can lead to bad decisions, but we think that a healthy mix of reason and emotion will garner you the best forever home! Just because one property has everything you want, needs no work and is well under budget, it doesn't mean that a slightly more pricey house that needs more work but gives you a really good vibe isn;t the way to go! Trust yourself!

7. Buy and move in!

When you've found THE house, it's time to make an offer, haggle until you and the seller can come to terms, buy it, get the keys and move in! Try to think of the moving in process as an adventure, not a chore and then, once all your boxes are in, take a moment to sit in your new living room and congratulate yourself on accomplishing a serious life milestone. You're a homeowner!

For more house buying tips, take a look at this article: Prefab houses: 7 tips you need to know before buying yours.

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