Shopping for a new house can be time-consuming and stressful. In a tight real estate market, you may feel pressured to choose any home. And in a slack market, there may not be much variety available.
But as you search for your new home, how can you know when you've found the right place? Here are five signs to look for.
1. You Want to Tell People
Are you dying to text your friends and family about your potential new house? Do you find yourself sending pictures even before you've left the open house? Eagerness to share your find is a good indicator that you feel this is 'the one' for you.
If, on the other hand, you don't want to spread the news, you may not be proud of your choice. And that's a warning signal for your overall happiness with such a big investment.
2. It Meets Your Needs
Before house shopping, you should have a written list of wants and needs as well as a list of priorities. The right house should meet all the basic needs on that list or at least carry the potential to make up for a few small missing pieces. And it should include enough wants that you feel like you're splurging just a bit without overdoing it.
Some priorities are flexible, such as remodeling a kitchen. Others, like having enough bedrooms, could be game changers. But don't ignore real priorities in the hopes that you can get over the lack of big necessities.
3. You Like the Area
You can change many things about a new house except its location. So check out the neighborhood a little either before or after viewing the home. Is the neighborhood growing and thriving? How do the locals feel about the area?
Look at the location with a view to what's important to you personally. For example, if you have a family, can you see your kids playing in the area? Is the community walkable? Does it have stores and services that you regularly use? Spend some time visiting a few local shops to see if you feel comfortable that you would fit in here.
4. You Envision Your Furnishings
The more you mentally place your furniture and possessions in rooms, the more you are instinctively feeling 'at home' in the house.
If you get out a mental measuring tape and wonder if your sofa will fit in the living room or how your bed would look in the master bedroom, you can see yourself living here. Do you picture your favorite colors on the walls? And what about family pictures on the walls? Do your belongings feel like they will fit in well? Then this might be the place for you.
5. It Fits Your Budget
Not everything about choosing a home is about gut instinct or imagination. The right house should also fit comfortably within your budget. Stretching either your initial buying budget or your monthly budget too far could cause trouble down the road. Don't ignore that reality in the rush of the purchase.
While it may be exciting to buy something beyond your expectations, it may mean that this property isn't really a good fit for you. It's not a good fit for your lifestyle and financial position, which is just as important to your happiness as the actual structure is.
Once you have found a property that speaks to you on these levels, make sure you can buy it as soon as it's available. Waiting to purchase the right home could result in a tragically lost opportunity. For mortgage options to fit any family, see the loan experts at Corner Store Residential Mortgage
today.
