Congratulations on starting your journey to buy a home! Here are five steps you should take to make the process easier:

1. GET PREAPPROVED FOR A MORTGAGE. Meet with a local mortgage lender (we can recommend people) to determine how much you qualify for. Have your lender break down the numbers to look at monthly payments and find your comfort zone. Remember to include taxes / insurance.
2. IDENTIFY A REALTOR. Ask for recommendations from friends who have recently moved. Source Zillow reviews. Meet with at least two realtors to determine fit. A good realtor can help you by sharing her experience/connections, market expertise and abilities to network with other agents. You should be able to trust your agent. When you are actively looking for a home you are often talking 2-3 times a day! Your realtor, then, should be someone you like!
3. DETERMINE SEARCH CRITERIA / NON-NEGOTIABLES! What are your must haves for your new home? What is MOST important? Location? School district? Style of home? Make a list of needs and wants.
4. START VISITING HOMES. Attend open houses. The more exposure you gain, the more educated you become. There is no magic number for how many homes you should see before you find the one for you. It could be the first home or it could be the twentieth!
5. PLAN TO HAVE FUN. The right mindset is everything! Tell yourself this is going to be fun. Surrounding yourself with experts should alleviate your stress. Let them advocate for you! My favorite part about my job is watching dreams come true! It’s the best! Let’s have fun.

Get psyched! 🙂

Cheers,

Amy