Searching for your Dream Home

What information do buyers find most useful when searching for a home?

It should come as no surprise that 94% of buyers now search for homes online, often starting to look long before they are ready to buy. When it came to actually buying a home last year, 80% of buyers found their home through Internet search engines or their real estate agent (mainly via the MLS, which is also Internet based). Other sources were house signs and open houses, builders, and personal connections. Print ads, which once dominated real estate marketing, brought in only 1% of buyers in 2013.

Information buyers found most helpful was overwhelmingly photos and detailed property information, followed by virtual video tours, interactive maps and neighborhood information.

Getting started with the search for your Dream Home!

The first thing to consider when searching for your dream home is, Where do I want to Live? There are many factors to consider when selecting an area that you want to live in. To identify the best location for you and your family that fit the lifestyle try to ask yourself:

Do I want to live in the city, suburbs, or in a more rural area?

How far is the commute to my work?

What is the school district like?

How far away are hospitals or emergency services?

What is the crime level of the neighborhood?

Is there shopping and entertainment venues I enjoy visiting close to the home?

What kind of parks and recreational locations are near by?

Do I have easy access to public transportation like bus or train lines?

Once you have identified a set of communities that you want to live in based on lifestyle you need to determine the value of homes in those areas and if you can afford to buy a home in any of those locations. Working with your REALTOR® is a good step towards identifying this. Buyers who do their homework first will find their buying experience to have been far more rewarding in the long run. Remember that a home is a long term investment. So you need to be happy with the area you choose to buy a home in as you may find yourself living there for a long time.

Start Your Property Search Online

Now that you have been pre-approved and know how much you can afford as well as have identified several areas that you and your family would like to live in it is time to begin your Property Search. Your REALTOR® should set you up with a search that will automatically send you properties on the MLS that they think meet the criteria you are looking for. But don't stop there. Check out the Property Search here at AdviceHomes.com and perform your own online search.

Between what you find yourself online and what you REALTOR® has sent you, you should be ready to begin viewing homes.

Viewing Properties

Scheduling the time to see a home can be a challenge. Sellers won't just let anyone into their homes. This is why working with a professional REALTOR® is so important. Your REALTOR® is experienced with coordinating multiple back to back showings, spacing them out so that you have enough time to view each home based on your individual speed. Your REALTOR® will also obtain the secure lock box combinations to allow you access to the properties. It is considered respectful to always request your showings 24 hours in advance. However, it is ok to sometimes request showings last minute. So if you see a home feel free to always ask your REALTOR® if you can squeeze it in to the showings.

A typical showing is a 1 hour window of time. This will allow you enough time to look around the property and determine if it is a good fit for you and your family. When viewing properties always look out for what is the condition of the home:

How solid is the foundation?

What is the age of the room?

How old are the mechanicals like the furnace and air conditioning?

Is there any hazards like Radon, Mold, or Asbestos?

Do you like the layout of the home?

Does the home have enough bedrooms and bathrooms to fit your family?

Are the rooms a decent size to fit your furniture?

Are there any improvement you want to make to the home? How difficult would it be to make these improvements and is that amount within your budget?

How do I know I have found the right home for my family

One tricky question is how do I know which home is the home you should write an offer on. This is a questions that only you can answer. If you find yourself in live with the home, if you find yourself imagining what life would be like. Both of these are signs that you may have found the right home. When ever you think you may have the right home have your REALTOR® find out if there are any other buyers considering an offer on the home. Have them perform an opinion of value by creating a comparative market analysis. This way you can have an idea where you start your negotiation. Buying a home is one of the biggest decisions a buyer ever will make in their lives. So don't feel pressured by your Agent to write an offer. If you want to sleep on it then sleep on it. Just always remember that if you are considering an offer on this home so could other potential buyers. Once you feel that you are confident you are ready to write an offer get together with your REALTOR® to begin drafting a Purchase Agreement.