Common (And Unnecessary) Mistakes Home Buyers Make

Common (And Unnecessary) Mistakes Home Buyers Make

You have decided that it is time to get ready to buy a house.  Many home buyers think they can just start looking at homes and make an offer.  However, approaching the process with this mindset is a great way to run into some trouble.  

There are many parts of house buying that need to be prepared for.  Do not slip up and make these common mistakes home buyers make while trying to make a purchase.

Avoiding a Lender

Home buyers will want to start by always talking to a lender.  Making an offer first is not going to win you any houses.

Lenders are able to provide a pre-approval.  Pre-approval is something most home sellers look for when reviewing offers.  Offers that do not come with a pre-approval are usually declined and discarded without a second thought.

A pre-approval is a process with a lender.  The home buyers will provide the necessary information to the lender for them to review.  Once reviewed the lender will decide if they would offer a mortgage to the buyer. If they will it, will come in the form of pre-approval letter which will also outline exactly how much they will offer.

Mismatched Desires

Home buyers who do not know what they want will not find a home.  Someone who desires the look of an old Victorian-style house but prefers a one-story home will not find anything that matches their criteria.  Buyers need to figure out what is most important when buying and then stick to that list.

Tight Schedule

Home buyers may find it difficult to make it to showings.  While it is understandable that not everyone can take work off last minute, it also slows down the process.  The more a buyer delays seeing a house the more likely someone else is going to swoop in and make an offer.

Too Many People During a Showing

Buyers want the advice of close friends and relatives when they go to buy a house.  While having someone that knows the process is good, try to limit the showing party to those that will live in the home.  

Keep in mind that even though friends and family mean well, they are not the ones paying the mortgage and living in the home once the deal is said and done.

Rushing

The point of a showing is to get a feel for the house.  It is the time to explore every aspect of the home down to the very last window in the basement.  Those home buyers that feel obligated to rush through the process are going to miss major problems in the house.  While the inspector is likely to catch these problems it is still disappointing for a home buyer who is already in love with a house to learn it is not as perfect as they thought.

No Compromise

Every home buyer has a list of what they want in a home.  There are some aspects that a home buyer should not budge on.  However, there is never a house or neighborhood that is going to check all the boxes.  

Choose what is most important and take the closest house to what is desired.  

Focusing on the Decor

It can be hard to look past a well-decorated home and only see the house itself.  The structure and layout of the home are what is important during a home sale. Liking the decorations only tells a home buyer what their house could look like in the event they manage to score the exact same decorations as the previous owner.  

Stay disciplined. Look past all the glitz and glamour.

Forgetting the Neighborhood

Even a perfect house can be ruined if it is in a bad neighborhood.  Visit the neighborhood at different times of the day and pay attention to the neighbors.  Go to local shops and see how people interact. Research crime rates and school ratings. No matter how good a house is it will remain in the neighborhood, for better or for worse.