Buying a home is a big moment for everyone. If this is your first time buying a house in Bangor, you may feel like you’re in over your head. There are so many properties to see, so many aspects to think about, a lot of moving parts and unknown information. That can make your property search disorganized and exhausting.
But there are ways to stay organized, even in the midst of the busiest, most chaotic time of your life. Most people have been using online property search solutions to help them stay on top of the growing list of properties they’re viewing, but a REALTOR® is also an invaluable help. As long as you have a clear list of the things you’re looking for and what your deal-breakers are, you can make your search easier and more relaxing.
1. Know What You’re Looking For
If you start looking haphazardly, that’s a surefire way to start out on the wrong foot and get extremely overwhelmed. You don’t even know what you’re looking for. That should be your very first step - think about what, exactly, you want in a home.
How Much Space do You need?
First thing’s first - how much space do you actually need? It’s easy to get tempted by bigger and bigger homes. Bigger is always better, right? Well, not quite. Determine exactly the type of home you need and what layout you prefer. Two-bed, two-bath Three-bed? A large kitchen? Storage space? It’s going to save you a lot of time.
What’s Your Budget?
Of course, any and all decisions are constricted by the budget you’re working with. Can you afford your dream home, or are you better off tempering your expectations? If you stick to your budget, you’ll have an easier time staying organized in your search.
What’s Your Preferred Area?
The area or neighborhood you search in is also of utmost importance. There’s just no use wasting time looking at homes in a neighborhood that you don’t ultimately want to live in.
What are Your Deal-breakers?
You know what you want, now have a think about what you absolutely don’t want. What are the things that are an “absolutely not” and a sure dealbreaker? That alone can eliminate a lot of properties from your search and cut out a lot of the “clutter”.
2. Find a Good Real Estate Agent
The real secret to any successful property hunt and purchase process is a great real
estate agent. If there’s ever a time to pay for a professional, it’s now. Can you do it on your own? You probably can, but with significantly more difficulty. Hiring a REALTOR® gives you some options.
Access to Information
Having a good REALTOR® in your corner can make the difference between a chaotic, frustrating house hunting process and a smooth, well-organized search that yields great results. Especially as a first-time home buyer, there are a million little things you don’t even know you should be thinking about. That’s why a good agent is worth their weight in gold - they know what you don’t know.
Access To Properties
The other thing you could be taking advantage of is the fact that REALTORS® have connections and information - including access to the best properties, sometimes before they hit the market. That kind of help can be invaluable, because it reduces the amount of time and effort you put into searching for properties that ultimately don’t work out.
3. Take Notes As You Go
After some time, all the homes blend into one another and you have no idea where you saw what and what you thought of it. That’s why the time to formulate an opinion is as you are viewing each property. Take a pen and a notebook with you - or a tablet, a phone, anything where you can take notes - and jot down your thoughts. You’re walking through one home and there’s a faint smell of mold - write it down. Or you notice the nice original architecture in another property, or the noisy neighborhood dog - record those impressions.
At the end of your viewing, take some time to create a pro & con list for each property.
Which criteria did this house meet? What downsides did you notice? That will make it easy to compare and contrast between different properties. It reduces confusion and makes things very clear when one property has a long list of pros and another one only has three.
4. Use An Online Property Search Feature
Losing track of how many properties you’ve seen and where? That can happen when you’re in the throes of house hunting. An easy way to manage property viewing and keep track is to use a property search feature. According to the National Association of REALTORS®, 97% of home buyers resorted to online solutions in their property search in 2020.
There are several great such search engines on the market right now, each with their own advantages. You can filter properties by the number of bedrooms and bathrooms, square footage, the year the property is built, and even by whether or not they offer virtual tours. The best part is that you can easily save your search filters and use it the next time you need to search for a property.
5. Don’t Take Too Many People Shopping
If you’ve ever seen Say Yes To The Dress, you know that taking a large entourage shopping for your major purchase is a bad idea. It can be a lot like that with homes, as well. Remember that this is your home and you’re the one who has to be happy with it. Taking someone with you for a second opinion or personal expertise is great, but don’t lose sight of what’s important.When there are too many opinions involved, the chances of finding something you want or staying on track are slim. You are most likely to become overwhelmed and confused, because everyone is looking for something different. Stick to one or two people whose opinions you trust, and leave your sister’s best friend’s cousin at home.
Final thoughts
Buying a home can be a real high-pressure situation, especially as a first-time buyer. When you’re caught up in finding the perfect property, the search can oftentimes feel overwhelming, and a bit chaotic.
But it’s possible to find some order in the chaos of finding your perfect Bangor home. Taking notes of what you see, using an online property search feature, and enlisting the help of an experienced REALTOR® can all make your experience more palatable.
But the most important thing is to know exactly what you want. With a clear view in mind, you will be able to more effectively search for a truly great property with less confusion.
