Home Buying 101 – Part Two

Your New Home Search

In Part 1 of this series, you learned the steps to prepare for buying a home. Now for the fun part: your new home search!

Searching for a new home can be fun and exciting. Touring homes, imagining possibilities, dreaming of the fun times you will have there. It can also be a little confusing. After you’ve toured a few homes it can be hard to keep everything straight! We have some tips to help make this process easy for you and result in a home that truly meets your needs.

Research your options.

Before you start to search in person, you will likely begin your search online. According to a recent study by the National Association of Realtors, a typical buyer starts their search online then visits at least 10 homes over 10 weeks before making a buying decision.

Check out the new homes that are available from RM Homes right now. Move-in ready homes are available, and you can also choose from select homes that are currently under construction.

Things you can learn more about online before you even step foot into a home:

• Neighborhoods
• Builders
• Communities
• Home style / price
• Finishes – what’s included?
• When do you want to move – will homes be ready for you?

Create a wish list.

Start out with all the things that are most important to you, and things you don’t want in a new home. This should include the location, interior, exterior, features, garage, community amenities and budget. Be as specific as possible, especially to start.

Take a tour – shop and compare.

Here’s the fun part! Do your research in person. Search for homes that fit your wish list. Once you narrow down your options, tour with a new home community sales manager, or tour with your real estate broker.

Touring homes can be an educational process. It will help you narrow down exactly what is most important to you. Touring also gives you first-hand knowledge of how much you should expect to spend in your preferred neighborhoods.

Track your pros and cons.

As you visit each home, keep track of how it stacks up against your wish list. Write your favorite things about the home you toured, and also write the things you like least about it. This will allow you to go back later to review what you have seen. It also allows you to refine your wish list.

Part Three – Becoming a Homeowner.

Once you’ve reached this stage of your home search, once you find the home of your dreams you can move quickly to make your offer. Part three of “Home Buying 101” covers the steps towards Becoming a Homeowner: making an offer, mutual acceptance, and closing on your new home.

Read all three parts of this Home Buying 101 series:

Part one: Getting Ready to Buy

Part three: Becoming a Homeowner