Looking to buy but not sure where to start? Here are my top 9 tips to prepare yourself when looking for your new home.

1. Get a pre-approval from a lender. You need to be prepared on what price range you can
afford and be ready to make an offer when you find “the right home”

2. Talk about what your ideal “wish list” in your dream home and what areas you are
interested in. Example, Number of bedrooms, baths, an office etc. Do you want a big
yard or perhaps need to be near a shopping or in a certain school district?

3. Contact and engage with a professional Realtor to get a search started and help you
with any other details to refine your search.

4. Start looking at homes. Make notes on what you like and don’t like so you and your
Realtor can narrow down your search to a specific area you like and type of home. It’s
like a funnel. You start big and narrow it down to a specific area you really like!

5. Once you have found a home and have an accepted offer, make sure you do an
inspection. You and your realtor are not professional inspectors. Therefore, it is
important to have an inspection to make sure there are no hazards or structural
problems with the house.

6. Make sure you have an insurance company lined up to insure your new home. Your
Realtor and lender will give you details on all paperwork needed.

7.  Coordinate and make your moving plan. Contact a moving company or rent a truck and
buy boxes with plenty of time for your big day!

8. Before your close, make sure to get all the needed utility information and services to
connect for the day of your closing.

9. No question is a bad question. Ask your Realtor and lender any questions you have or do
not understand.

Follow along for more tips and tricks about selling and buying your home. Read more posts on buying here.