I truly enjoy sharing articles that relate to Real Estate. Especially when lessons can be learned from others. I’ve added my 2 cents in italics – Enjoy this one about Buying a Home….
Thanks for reading – Sabrina
5 Things I Have Learned From Buying A House
Owning your own place is the ultimate goal. But you know what? It isn’t easy. You need to be on the ball and know exactly what you are getting into.
Here are my top 5 tips from my own personal experience.
- You need way more money than just the deposit!
It’s easy to just think about the deposit, that magic number of 10 or 20% can become something to be obsessed with. Working hard, cutting the spends and being frugal all help to get towards that goal. But oh god you need way more money than that! There’s furniture to buy, legal costs, removal costs, painting and decorating. There are heaps of extra expenses that you don’t really think about, but they can bite pretty hard!
Indeed saving for the downpayment is the biggest hurdle to homeownership. And you also needs funds for closing costs and as this article shared – moving and renovation expenses. Maybe the home just needs paint and carpet – but that cost money too. So make it a point to save save save more than just that downpayment. Also – there are home loans that do not require 20% down and there are also home loans to help you renovate a property – contact The Caton Team and we can help you.
- The photos are always deceptive.
Not a shocker, but totally true. Far too many times to count I wasted a Saturday morning looking at a house that looked fab in the pictures and horrific in reality! Estate agents will take photos from all the good angles; meaning you don’t see that large patch of damp or that awful bathroom suite until you have laid eyes on it in person. It’s frustrating, but you know what? It’s a positive thing, you will be more confident when viewing other properties and get a sense of the home you really want to own!
Now now now – as a Professional Realtor I am NOT trying to deceive anyone with fabulous photos. It is our job to the seller to present the home in the best light. However, I am so over virtual tours – honestly – think about it – are you virtually going to live in a home? NO! So get up and go see the house in person. I also think it is imperative for my buying clients to drive themselves to the open house – because sitting in my back seat – some clients do not see the neighborhood and location is just as important – if not more important than the home itself.
- You will know the right house!
Sounds a little cheesy but when you know, you know! I knew the second I walked in; I just got an amazing feeling and it ticked all the boxes. Good area, great transport links and some awesome restaurants and cafés nearby. Of course, you need to make sure everything checks out but definitely trust your gut.
This I whole heartedly agree with. You know when you found the one – now it’s time to write an amazing offer. The hard part here in the San Francisco Bay Area is competition. You may have found the one – and so has someone else. So it’s important to go in with your best offer. And it is just as important to get back up on the horse if you don’t get it.
- You will need to be super organized.
There will be heaps to organize, so grab that planner and start making notes. You will need to arrange viewings, mortgage advice, packing, lawyers and the rest. Start early and chase people regularly for a response; don’t be afraid to get on the phone to get stuff sorted! Be pro-active; the sooner things progress the sooner the keys will be in your hand.
Even though I am the Realtor professional – this is your home, your goals and we need you to be just as organized and on top of emails and calls as we are. Realtors are not a part of the transaction – we are facilitators and here to help you. Having your ducks in a row makes the entire process much easier for all of us.
- It’s incredibly stressful.
Purchasing a property is really stressful; I had to get all sorts of reports and then needed to renegotiate the price, so what should have been a straightforward transaction soon dragged out. People can get wound up when there is so much money involved, but stick with it and keep the end goal in sight.
It is a lot to take on board and a major life event, but you know what, it’s totally worth it; that feeling of closing the door behind you knowing you own you own home is hard to beat. Obviously, the responsibility is unreal; the mortgage needs to get paid and if anything goes wrong you can’t just simply turn to your landlord to sort it out, but finally getting on the property ladder will be a total game changer.
I hate to say it but yes buying a home is stressful. The Caton Team tries their best to make the process as easy as possible – but things pop up and in this highly competitive market – a buyer may be writing offers on a weekly basis until they do get a home. Hard on the buyer and hard on the Realtor. But The Caton Team loves what we do and go the extra mile to make this processes as easy as possible.
If you have any questions about buying a home – please feel free to contact The Caton Team – info@TheCatonTeam.com or call at 650.568.5522 (no text on this line). THANK YOU!
I read this article at: http://www.careergirldaily.com/5-things-i-learned-buying-house/
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Thanks for reading – Sabrina
The Caton Team – Susan & Sabrina – A Family of Realtors
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices – Drysdale Properties
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