Untold Truths For Homebuyers

If only things were as easy as it appeared on tv! Buying a home is such a rewarding and exciting journey, but can also be overwhelming if not you are not properly prepared. As we purchased our first home, there were several times I thought “I wish someone had told me this”. Well, here I am, sharing those untold (and not so pretty) truths about buying a home.

Everyone knows the importance of making a checklist and sticking to it, and this is a great practice for all homebuyers. It is great to be prepared with a checklist of items you hope to find, but in reality you most likely will not get all of those items in your home. In fact, you should prioritize that list by the most wanted items and keep in mind there will be things that you cannot change. What are you willing to compromise on?

Often times buyers have a hard time seeing what a space can be and only can see it for what it currently is. It is helpful to have a real estate agent that can help you vision the potential of the space but keep the reality in mind as well. If this is your first home and budget is tight, you do not want to purchase a home planning to rework spaces by moving walls that can be costly. Focus on homes with minimal projects, such as painting or minor construction.

Additionally, there is one thing you cannot change about a home ( or it is most difficult) and that is the location. This is why I recommend my buyers tour the area during the day and at night. You want to be comfortable and knowledgeable of the area where you are purchasing your home. You can easily paint, redesign, and work spaces within the home to your needs but moving a home to a new location is more challenging.

Lastly, do not stress over the list price. This is something we are going to see more and more of, offers can be made under the listing price. Sometimes if you have not had a lot of luck in your price range, try to look at homes a little over that price range. This could open the selection of homes for you, and offer you the opportunity to submit an offer within your budget. Like I said, this is getting more common as our market levels out some here in the Tallahassee area. 

As you prepare for your home purchase, keep in mind these few tips. HGTV does a great job making the process look easy and fun, but it is not always that easy, so make sure you are ready! I always recommend also having a real estate agent that you can trust to have your best interest at heart, someone that is going to help you make the best decisions for your circumstances.

Happy house hunting!