Buying a home is one of the biggest decisions and investments you will make in your lifetime. As realtors, we see ourselves as your guides, advisors, advocates and confidants to our clients in this journey. We take responsibility for providing you with accurate, up-to-the-minute, reliable market advice, as well providing counsel on the things not so empirical. These include the emotional parts of the home buying adventure like finding you the right neighborhood, or determining the style of house that best reflects who you are. Our greatest joy comes from finding a home, which is the best match for our clients and witnessing the pride they feel in their purchase of that home.
We realize a homeowner’s pride of ownership is largely a result of the intention and effort that goes into the home buying process. The following are some ideas we encourage home buyers to keep in mind, so that in the end they are sure to end up with a home that matches their style and sustains their quality of life in the future.
1) It’s financially wise
The process of purchasing a home may begin because your CPA says you need more write offs or because you are tired of throwing money away in rent. Both of these reasons are good ones to start thinking about buying. Home ownership is often the most valued, secure, usable and equity-producing investment choice. Especially today, with mortgage rates continuing to remain low, buying can often result in more favorable monthly expenses than renting. Once you are pre-approved, you will have a good sense of what your comfortable monthly mortgage payment is and how it translates into the purchase price you can consider.
2) Establish your roots
Beyond the financial benefits, the home you choose will most likely become the item which best reflects who you are and provides the roots you will establish in your neighborhood and community. One of my favorite aspects of real estate is getting to know my clients. As a team, we can then begin identifying areas and neighborhoods that feel right for you. Some questions I ask myself on behalf of my client are: is the neighborhood walkable to places they want to go; is it safe; is it in the school district they may want to send their children to or near a park they can envision playing in; are the streets safely traveled & tree-lined; are the neighbors’ homes well-kept and do they seem like people my client would identify with; and would the client’s friends and family like to come over for dinner & holidays? Asking these questions ensures you will ultimately end up in a home that meets your needs.
3) Go wild with style
Once you’ve identified the neighborhood you want to live in, find a home that matches your style. Take the time to look around at all the options. A home is the place that you and your loved ones come to refuel. It becomes your spa, your museum, your garden, your restaurant, your lounge, your retreat, your opportunity to design, decorate, paint, grow, and adore. Enjoy the fact that you’ve taken the time to look and find what you wanted. Now personalize it! Get that area rug you’ve always wanted, put a bold color choice on the walls, landscape away on those lazy summer weekends, or install a hot tub. It’s yours to have fun with, so enjoy.
4) Your place to belong and be found
How often do you visit your hometown and drive by homes where your friends were raised, bringing back memories of long summers, and various milestones in life? Your home serves as your beacon to the world. Circumstances may dictate that you have to leave and stake your claim elsewhere, but many people live in their homes all their lives. Children grow up and move, jobs change, addresses change, phone numbers change, even email addresses change, but I can’t tell you how many of my friends have come to my mom’s house looking for me, knowing that they would be able to find me and reconnect through her. Owning a home allows us to put our flag in the ground and create a place where we can be found and we are sure to belong!
Now is the time in real estate when a buyer can enter the market and find a place to call home. We would love to partner with you and your loved ones in the process of finding your place to call home! We’ll even donate a potion of our commission to a community group of your choice to welcome you into your new neighborhood.
To get more home advice, visit the “In The News “section of our website at www.heartrealtors.com. Contact me directly at 310-259-7419 to find out how I can help you get into your new home.
Be the first to comment