Shopping for a new home is a very exciting and often exhausting process. It is very common for buyers to become enamoured by first impressions. Keep in mind that the seller’s job is to create a perfect first impression. You will visit many homes during your search and it is important to look beyond curb appeal. Your home is one of the largest purchases you will make and you must be prepared to choose wisely. Don’t get emotionally attached to one home without viewing many and know exactly what you are looking for before you submit an offer that you may regret later.

The following tips will help you prepare for the home buying process and keep you on track while finding the right home for your family:

1. Bring a List of Priorities to Every Showing

As you visualize your perfect home, start writing a list of the features you want. You will find that this list can become quite extensive. Organize your list by prioritizing your needs and wants. As you evaluate your list, you will find that a handful of items will become the top priorities for your new home. Highlight these items and use them to help you narrow down the list of homes to view. Don’t discount the rest of your list, because these items will serve as comparison criteria once you begin to narrow down your options.

2. Create a Checklist from Your Priority List

Convert your priority list into a spreadsheet and assign a value to each item on the list. Top priorities should be given a high value and small details that you could live without should be assigned a small value. As you visit potential homes, score each home based on your list. When you create the spreadsheet, leave room for notes for every item on the list. This enables you to recall the homes you visit and to review the things you found most appealing.

A good example is landscaping. Landscaping may not rank high on your list, but if a particular home comes with a brilliantly designed pool, garden or lawn, you will want to make a note of this. The benefit of this list is that you can sit down and compare the different homes you are considering. You may also find that your priorities shift during the home shopping process.

3. Bring a Camera

As you shop for a home, you may begin to forget which home had the amazing closets or the marble kitchen countertops. Bring a camera along when you visit homes and use it to record features that you find particularly interesting or concerning. After the visit, be sure to file the photos appropriately so that you do not get confused later.

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4. Visualize Yourself in the Space

If you are buying your first home, you may be planning to purchase furniture and appliances after you find a home. If you have an established home, you will want to know if your furniture will fit into the home you are visiting. You can bring measurements along and don’t forget a tape measure! Does the home appear to fit your family’s lifestyle? Is it going to be big enough? Consider whether you would want to change the paint colors, the flooring, the kitchen or anything else. Imagination is free, feel free to exercise it as much as you like. This exercise will help you to determine whether a home is truly a great match for you.

5. Visit More Than Once

A home that appears to meet your requirements warrants a second, or even third, visit. Visit the home at different times of the day in order to determine the atmosphere of the home and also the neighborhood. If you tend to visit homes in the evening, you are missing the opportunities to determine lighting levels in the home. Also, if the neighborhood is quiet in the morning it may not be so quiet later in the day as residents return from work.

Buying a Home in East County, San Diego

As you move through the home shopping process, these five easy tips will help you to find the perfect home. When you know what you are looking for in a home before you start shopping, you are very well-prepared for the buying process. Remember that a little advance planning will save you time and money in the future. Your home is the center of your life and these tips will help you make the best decision possible.

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