Choosing a home to live in is arguably the most important decision you’ll ever make, and there are lots of ways in which it can become stressful as well as expensive if you aren’t properly prepared.
Thankfully in the age of the internet, there are also excellent resources available to every home buyer that will iron out the wrinkles in the process of finding and buying a home. Let’s explore just a few of the must-use tools, sites and solutions which will streamline your next property purchase.
Real estate agent directories
Working with the right realtor is essential if you want to move into the house of your dreams, and with the help of services like Homeandmoney.com you can narrow down the field without having to compare local agents one by one.
This is doubly important because the suitability of a realtor will be different for each buyer, depending on things like your budget, your needs and your knowledge of the local area. So building a bespoke list of potential candidates is better than just choosing the biggest local firm to take care of you.
Property listing sites
Another trend which has empowered home buyers and sellers alike in the past few years is the rise of the listing site.
The best examples, which includes Zillow and Trulia, have not only made it easier to find and compare thousands of homes, but also enhanced the house-hunting experience with impressive digital features such as virtual tours, 3D floor plans and so much more besides.
Mortgage calculators
There is little point getting excited about your next big move unless you know how much you can afford. If you go ahead and start searching for homes without putting a realistic upper limit on your budget, you could end up falling in love with a property that is simply unattainable.
Luckily there are lots of mortgage calculators out there which will allow you to make a quick estimate of both how much your monthly repayments might be, as well as the size of the down payment you will require to get a deal through the door.
All sorts of things are taken into account when determining whether you are eligible for a mortgage, and it is particularly important for first-time buyers to be wise to factors such as credit history and household income when setting a budget for their house-hunting.
Local business listings
Buying a new home isn’t just about finding the right location and the right property, then applying for a mortgage to snap it up. You also have to be prepared for the long term aspects of home ownership that lots of newcomers overlook.
For example, it is inevitable that at some point you will need to carry out maintenance and repairs to your property.
If you cannot do the work yourself, then you will need the help of qualified, experienced professionals, whether that might be to fix plumbing problems, repair roofing damage, deal with dodgy electrics or anything else.
Looking for trusted local businesses that can provide these services is necessary, and an online search is a good starting point. If you need to sell your current home before you buy a new one, you can always consult a company that buys houses to address your needs
However, you can also turn to more traditional methods, such as checking the regional newspaper for ads, or getting word-of-mouth recommendations, to supplement your digital efforts.
Budgeting tools
Last but not least, managing your money well when you are a homeowner is something everyone should aspire to.
User-friendly platforms like Mint and Honeydew are well-suited to this purpose, letting you track spending, see your outgoings and incomings, and save for a rainy day without overstretching yourself.
You will need many more resources to wrangle buying a home successfully, but these should get you started on the right foot.
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