How to Save Thousands of Dollars When You Buy

1. Make sure you know what you want.

As simple as this sound, many homebuyers don't have a firm idea in their heads before they go out searching for a home. In fact, when you go shopping for a place to live, there are actually two homes competing for your attention: the one that meets your needs, and the one that fulfills your desires. Obviously, your goal is to find one home that does both. But in the real world, this situation doesn't always occur. When you're looking at homes, you'll find that you fall in love with one or another home for entirely different reasons. Is it better to buy the 4-bedroom home with room for your family to grow, or the one with the big eat-in kitchen that romances you with thoughts of big weekend family get-togethers? What's more important: a big backyard, or proximity to your child's school? Far too often people buy a home for the wrong reasons, and then regret their decision when the home doesn't meet their needs.

 

2. Don't shop with stars in your eyes: satisfy your needs first.

If you're lucky, you'll find a home that does this and also fulfills your desires. The important thing is to understand the difference before you get caught up in the excitement of looking.

 

3. Find out if your agent offers a "Buyer Profile System" or "House-hunting Service".

These services take the guesswork out of finding just the right home that matches your needs. These types of program will cross-match your criteria with ALL available homes on the market, and provide you with printed information on an on-going basis. A program like this helps homeowners take off their rose-colored glasses and affordably move into the home of their dreams.