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Homeowners are constantly on the lookout for upgrades or opportunities to move into that perfect house. But finding a home that is perfectly tailored to your lifestyle and needs can be more difficult than you might think. People often spend years chasing after those perfect qualities in a potential new home, only to find that they don’t like the changes they’ve made after the home purchase. Thankfully, it doesn’t have to be a hopeless pursuit. With some careful planning and an eye for detail, you can find the perfect home that suits your needs and allows you room to grow, and experiment as well.
Look for the non-negotiables first.
A new kitchen floor can be installed no matter where your home is located. But if you want to have access to green space, or a school within walking distance for your children, or even a top floor apartment in your city, then these must be the top priority when searching for a new space to call your own. Starting with factors that you cannot influence yourself, is a great way to narrow the search and spend your time looking through homes that actually fit with your needs. Alternatively, by searching only for homes next to parks, for instance, you might discover that this is less important than you once envisioned.
This leads into the next high priority part of a home search: taking your time. Spending enough time on the search is a good idea to help you narrow down your list of desires. Seeing a variety of homes will help you understand the types of inclusive features you like, those you can live with, and others that are a no-go for you and your family. This could mean searching for months, or even a number of years, and viewing homes around your area, even if you aren’t planning to move yet. However, the more information you have, then the better informed your search will be when it comes time to select a new home, giving you a far better handle on this important choice.
Start early on mortgage planning, too.
Not only is timing important for the search, it’s also essential for getting the best mortgage possible. Whether you plan to utilize a probate loan or a more traditional mortgage loan from your previous lender, starting to budget for this major expense as early as possible will net you the best possible loan terms in the form of a low interest rate, low monthly payments, or decreased down payment. As a borrower, your credit score is incredibly influential, either in favor of a great monthly payment that doesn’t stretch your budget, or against you as lower credit scores mean higher interest rates, and thousands of dollars extra due to be paid over the life of the loan.
Using a mortgage calculator to identify weaknesses in your credit score today, can help you get on the right path months before you intend to apply for a home loan. It also works to increase your chances of landing both more favorable loan terms, and that dream home you have spent countless hours hunting down.
Don’t be afraid of renting in the short term.
Renting is a great idea for homebuyers who aren’t quite ready to take that first step into their perfect home just yet. Whether your budget demands a higher amount of money, another six months of savings, or you just haven’t found the perfect home to put an offer in on yet, furnished rentals in Denver or wherever in the United States that you call home, can help keep your costs down in the meantime. In the long run, this is so that you can continue to stock away cash for when the time comes to pull the trigger and make a down payment on the house you plan to call home.
Picking the perfect home that suits your needs is a long dance; it takes research, countless viewings, and months of preparation. But taking the keys as new homeowners to that perfect space is worth it in the end.
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