10 Tips on How to Find the Perfect Home

Congratulations! You’ve finally decided to purchase the home of your dreams. Now, before you go crazy and purchase a home you cannot afford — and may not even like — follow these ten tips on how to find the perfect home for you and your family. These steps will guarantee success in the process:

1. Make a must have list: these are all the items you must have in your perfect home. For example, your home must have two full-sized bathrooms, a large walk-in closet in the master bedroom and a basement. Do not leave anything out!
2. Make a budget and stick with it: Make sure to get yourself pre-approved for a loan before shopping for your perfect home — it will make the process much easier — you’ll also know how much home you can actually afford. Be prepared to be flexible when determining what you can afford.
3. Size matters: Sure, we’d all like to have a huge home to live in, but in most cases, that’s not realistic. Figure out what size is right for your family.
4. Location is everything: Explore the area around your potential new home and make sure you are absolutely comfortable with it. Check the school district’s record, think about your commute and really get to know the surrounding area before purchasing. Always thing about the future.
5. Research is key: Besides checking property values for the area, get a feel for the neighborhood as well — is it pet friendly? Kid friendly? Etc.
6. Get a home inspection: A home inspector will give you an unbiased evaluation of the home you’re interested in, and make you aware of any current or potential problems you may experience.
7. Consider remodeling: Not every home you look at will be perfect right from the start. Picture what your potential new home may look like with some remodeling applied to it. Perhaps new wood floors would make the home into a dream home, or maybe all it needs is a new coat of paint in a color palate that you love.

8. Picture yourself in the home: Can you truly see your family living in this home for many years to come? When you close your eyes, do you get the feeling that THIS is the place you want to be?
9. Be realistic: Most houses are never perfect to being with, so be prepared to be flexible and adapt to any situation.
10. Think about storage: Make sure your potential new home has plenty of room to grow with your family.

These tips will help you find the perfect home and make the process easier and more enjoyable. Good luck on your search!