You need a lot of faith and trust to buy a home. You also have to be a little foolish, reckless, not to mention brave and stubborn. You will also need fortitude and determination. If you possess those on your own, you are a remarkable person. If it’s split between two, that is still an impressive tally. If you have all of those, you might just stand a chance. And that is before you have paid anyone in the long line of professionals who will have their hands out, one single cent. Because buying any home is going to cost you.
Is is worth it? Undoubtedly and unreservedly. Can the process be made any easier? Absolutely. Will you still need all those wonderful qualities? Definitely. Buying a house can be stressful but it can be made easier, and it is one of the most satisfying things that you will ever do. Here’s your happy checklist.
What exactly do you want?
Maybe you are 'that' person. You’ve walked down a street a few times, and you’ve seen a house or property. In your mind, you already live there. It might not even be for sale, but you know that doesn't matter. That house will be yours one day, and that is that. Most of us don’t work like that. We have a nagging feeling that we want to or even need to move. And yet the whole process seems somehow a little daunting.
So start with your wish list. It can be hard to take in areas from the ground. Start with an online map and begin to zoom in and out. Begin to locate areas that you would be cool with. The ideal ones are going to be expensive. They are already full of people like you who got there first. No problem, there are always other areas. This is where the faith comes in.
You can get a print out of the map. Enlarge it and hang it up on the wall. As soon as a property comes up you'll be able to know straight away whether this is even something you would look at. Here’s another thing to do; get out on foot. Take the subway or the bus; ride your bikes. There are little neighborhoods all over the place that you can’t begin to know from a map. Go down there on a Sunday morning when the market is on and the cafes are open. Explore. Get around. Start preparing yourself to compromise. Trust in the process.
Start to refine your list. What is driving your move? Space? Noise? Schools? Work? All of the above. Do you hanker after a water view? Tired of the suburban and want to get into the city? Maybe it's the other way around.
Define your actual wish list requirements. How many bedrooms, bathrooms. Do you want a garden or will a balcony suffice? Do you need an office space, playroom? What would you settle for? Again, where are the compromises? What kind of house would you like? For example, if it’s about location, would you be prepared to take on a house that needed some work? How about a lot of work? Be realistic about your expectations. If you can, detach yourself from the outcome. More faith and trust. The right house is out there. It will wait for you possibly, but it could be better if you actively pursued it. Just a bit.
Your House For Sale
If you have a property to sell then, you probably need to get onto that straight away. If you have the finance in place to move without that sale, then the pressure is off you. If you are serious about moving then, you will need to sell your property as soon as you can. The fact is either way if you are in a cash position you are a strong buyer. Your offer will be looked upon favourably simply because you are not dependent on a chain, and you can move quickly. Quickly is not a word often associated it with buying real estate, but it is often used.
Get the Professionals Involved.
It is a charming and lovely that you might consider either buying or selling on your own. Don’t even bother thinking about it. It is a nightmare and a stressful process and if you can, pay even a small amount for someone with a thick skin and the organisational skills to deal with it. Whether you're selling or just buying, talk to the professionals. They have done this a million times before. They will hold your hand and have nerves of steel when most of us would crumple thinking that the world is going to end. Approach a real estate agency with the right connections. In the unlikely event that they can’t help you, they will know someone who can. With your price and wish list established and your compromise point understood, you are ready for the next phase.
Viewings
View with no heart. View like a cynic. View with eyes of aspic. Don’t be seduced by anyone or anything. It will not be easy. The house you love will want you to fall in love with it. It hopes that you will forget about its many shortcomings because somehow you will have persuaded yourself that it doesn't matter. It does. This is a lot of money. If you love it that much, then the price will have to come down, and it will have to love you back a little. Nobody here is your friend. This is about a sale.
Take advice and put your best worst offer in. Wait. Did you get turned down? Then raise it. This is a game of two parties. Everybody will expect you to play. Remember that fortitude and determination? Use it now. You can still have faith. It will work out. If this is not the right property for you, there will be another one. Do you know anyone who is still looking? If so, they are too fussy.
Everybody who searches finds what they are looking for, with the right money and all the qualities listed above. But that is you, and you will find the house you want. Even if you don’t know it yet.
