How to actually LIKE your first home!

When it comes to buying a home, many families have a difficult time finding their dream home. There isn't a shortage of homes in the Grand Junction Real Estate market. It's buyer being too meticulous in their wants instead of sticking to their needs. Once buyers realize there is no such thing as a perfect home, meaning having 100-percent everything a family can want, then their home selection process will be much smoother.

First time homeowners spend thousands of dollars over their budget sometimes because they want the perfect home. This is not necessary. Eventually, once you settle in, there are bound to be things you want to change. So it's important to distinguish what you would like to have in a new home versus what you need to have in a new home.

Location Matters

First, you should have a budget in mind. This may be key in determining the area of Grand Junction you will live in. You want to make sure you feel safe in this area. Think about your family's transportation needs. Do you need access to public transportation or quickly access the highway? Is there particular schools you want your children in and how close do you want to live to the school? Living close to the mall is not a need unless you work there and must take public transportation.

Family Needs

You must consider your family needs. Do you have a large family and is privacy important? If so, make sure you have enough bedrooms. Are you willing to compromise on bedroom space? If so, you can possibly find a beautiful home with a recreation room and smaller bedrooms will be fine. Also, consider anyone that works from home. Make sure there is an area that can be converted to an office space.

Do you have large dogs? Having a home with a nice size backyard may be necessary for your pet. Ask yourself questions such as do you need a gourmet kitchen because that's where your family spends most of their time or you entertain guests. If you order takeout generally then you may only desire a large gourmet kitchen.

Maintenance and Upkeep

Another final thought about a home is its size. Think about the maintenance and upkeep. You may want a large yard with a lot of shrubbery. However, are you able to manage that yourself or hire someone to upkeep it? Think about the costs to upkeep a swimming pool. Consider your utility bills for heating and cooling a large space. Think of the entire monthly budget you have and if these additions will interrupt your quality of life.

Consider these tips and more of the First Time Home Buyer Guy. You can eliminate stress and find the home of your dreams that you will actually like rather than regret. Other wants include carpet, hardwood flooring, and a fireplace. You may need a newer furnace or spacing for a home gym rather than membership costs. There will be plenty of time to make upgrades to your home and venture into new ideas later.

As anyone who has ever bought a house can tell you, when it comes time to buy a home you need to know that that decision is the start of a process rather than an event. A myriad of emotional highs and lows awaits the first time home buyer, and taking steps to level out those highs and lows will go a long way towards helping you maintain your sanity during the ups and downs that are sure to come.

As such, every journey begins with a first step, and your first step should be to work with a realtor to get pre-qualified for your home loan before you even consider hopping in the car and cruising potential new neighborhoods. Getting pre-qualified for a mortgage loan provides you peace of mind while greasing the entire process, and so getting the "pre-qual" should be the necessary precursor to any successful house search.

Three Advantages to Getting Pre-Qualified…

Getting the Facts…

Pre-qualification involves a cursory look at your income and debts to arrive at a ballpark determination of how much house you can realistically buy into. Conversely, the pre-qualification review may indicate corrective measures are needed prior to picking out new kitchen curtains. Should that prove to be the unfortunate case, then the pre-qualification process can highlight those areas in need of repair, and knowing what to fix is the first step in getting your house hunt back on track.

Focus Your Search…

The data you get from working with a realtor makes it much easier when it comes time to buy a home. Armed with a realistic appraisal of what you can reasonably afford to pay for your new home greatly streamlines the house hunting process.

There is no point in falling in love with that quaint three bedroom bungalow if it's priced three times more than what you are comfortably able to pay, so pre-qualifying to buy a home gives you the ability to fall in love with a home that you can actually live with. When it comes to buying property, it's all about having options.

Peace of Mind…

Once you have been pre-qualified for a home loan you're given a Pre-Qualification Letter, which shows that you have taken the necessary steps to be considered a serious player when you signal an interest in their property.

When it comes to fostering peace of mind in a seller, a buyer who is pre-qualified has gained the confidence of the home owner that their time won't be wasted as you chase after mortgage approval. Likewise, the confidence it will inspire in you will make the entire home buying ordeal as stress free as possible.

Get started with The First Time Home Buyer Guy…

To get an honest assessment of where you stand in the house buying process, you should call The First Time Home Buyer Guy at 970-765-4135. Let me help you discover which neighborhood is going to host your new home, and remove the stress and aggravation out of the home buying process.