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4 Common Open House Mistakes Made by Home Buyers

December 21, 2015 By

When you’re looking for your dream home, how do you ensure that you’re getting exactly what you want? One easy way is to stop by open houses in your neighborhood. It’s easy to make a mistake during the complicated open house process, so here are a few things to avoid when attending an open house.

Don’t get distracted by the current state of the house.

Paint colors, carpets, and cluttered rooms can distract you from the way a home looks. When you enter a home and you don’t initially like the way it is decorated, don’t let it stop you from appreciating the architecture of the house. Ignore what’s inside and imagine it decorated with your furniture and photos.

Don’t believe everything you hear.

The homeowners you interact with may very well be interested in helping you find the right home, but at the end of the day, do your own research. You wouldn’t buy a used car without a history, so treat your potential new home the same way. Make sure you know everything, from past damage, to potential for any new problems in the future.

Don’t forget to ask questions.

On that note, make sure that you ask a LOT of questions. Don’t simply walk into a home and sign on the dotted line — that’s not the best way to make a huge investment. Ask questions about everything, from the current condition of the home, to details about the neighborhood. You’ll want to have as much information as you can before you purchase the house.

Don’t try to figure it out on your own.

Open houses can be confusing, so don’t walk in unprepared. The perfect weapon is having your own CENTURY 21© agent by your side! Agents are trained to attend open houses and see what is going on. They’ll know what to ask and look for even if you don’t.

Most importantly, don’t let an open house overwhelm you; it’s meant to be an easy way to see the home you’re interested in. This list can help you take the first steps in preparing yourself for your open house visits and ensure that you find the perfect place for you and your family.

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Avoid These Common First-Time Home Buyer Mistakes

September 29, 2015 By

Buying a home for the first time can be cumbersome. You’ve never done it before, so it’s normal to feel a bit overwhelmed. Luckily, we’ve pulled together some of the common mistakes first-time home buyers make. Learn from them, and you may have a smoother home buying process.

  • Forgetting About Costs:

Your mortgage will probably not be the only cost when it comes to buying a home. Smaller costs like property insurance, taxes, electric and water bills, and other fees may start to pile up. Before buying a house, you may need to look further into your savings to figure out if you can pay for all of these additional charges.

  • Looking for a Home Before the Loan:

Once you find a house and decide to buy it, you don’t want to spend time wondering if you can afford it. Knowing your budget, and that you are a qualified buyer before you begin your search may make the process easier and more efficient. Once you decide that it’s time to buy a home, get pre-approved for a loan.

  • Not Hiring Professionals:

Moving isn’t as simple as packing up your stuff and renting a van. It takes a village to move into a new neighborhood. Your team can only be as good as your weakest link, so you may want to ensure that you have only the best players. Get your home buying team in place before starting the search.

  • Being Too Picky:

There’s nothing wrong with knowing what you want when it comes to buying a home. But if your “must-have” list get too long and too specific, you may end up looking for your perfect house for a very long time. Also, remember that you can make changes once you move in. It may be wise to take the time to figure out what you really need versus what you want. If you are unsure where to start, our checklist may help!

  • Lacking Vision:

Some of the open houses you attend may not look move-in ready. But plenty of homes have hidden potential. When you look for a home, try to look past the 70’s shag rugs and lava lamps. Imagine what the home will look like after you’ve moved in with all of your own belongings, or try to envision the structure of the home without the stuff inside it. This will be an important skill, especially if you’re looking to buy a fixer-upper as your first home.

  • Ignoring the Future: 

If you plan on living in this house for a long time, you may want to think ahead. You may decide to have kids in a few years, and then you’ll have to worry about another set of questions. Will there be enough bedrooms? Is the house located in a good school district? These may be things to think about when buying your home.

So whether you’re just starting to think about buying your first home, or you’ve already spent some time looking, there may be a lot to learn from this list of mistakes.

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Don’t Make These 5 Common Home Buying Mistakes

August 24, 2015 By

It can be easy to get lost and confused during the home buying process. Proper planning is paramount. It’s also helpful to learn from other people’s mistakes. Here are some of the most common errors people make when shopping for a new home.

Not budgeting for everything: Yes, this sounds obvious, but many people forget about some of the costs of buying a home. There are added costs such as furniture and appliances, DIY projects, moving fees, or your first mortgage payment. This last one is especially important—setting a budget may help you determine how much you can comfortably afford to pay for your mortgage.

Neglecting your credit score: Your credit score will play a major role in the home buying process. This 3-digit number might be the thing that keeps you from your new home! Credit reports often contain errors or misinformation, so it’s important to retrieve your report ahead of time and fix any errors before sending it out to lenders. Looking at your credit reports may also give you a better idea of what interest rates you can expect so you can make room for them in your budget.

Trusting verbal agreements: A home seller can verbally accept your bid and still turn around and give it to someone else if a higher bidder comes along. So before you celebrate your new home, make sure you’ve signed paperwork!

Skipping the home inspection: You can’t expect the seller to tell you about all the potential problems you might face if you buy their home. There might even be issues with the house that the seller isn’t aware of, which is why it’s crucial to hire an inspector to take a look through the house. An inspector will examine the overall foundation and structural features of a house. It’s their job to find these areas of concern so that you don’t have to worry about them later on! (Tip: Don’t be too reliant on the inspector. You may catch these problems that they sometimes miss.)

Sweating the small things: Don’t like the color of a house or the wallpaper inside? Is there something about the kitchen that you just can’t stand? Don’t sweat the small things! Focus instead on the location and the overall structure of the house. Once you move in you can change the small things you don’t like and make your house a home!

If you avoid these mistakes and work closely with a CENTURY 21® Affiliated Sales Associate, you may just find the home you’ve been searching for!

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