Perhaps you’re ready to make one of the biggest purchases of your life—your first home, but how would you manage it all by yourself? The procedure of buying a home is vast and includes some essential things that you don’t even know about, so, what are you going to do? Well! we have got your back; this column will guide you through each step essential for buying your first new house.
The journey of buying a new house in BC for your family can be intimidating, if you don’t plan it well. From finding a genuine real estate agent to applying for a loan to fill endless applications, this experience is going to be unforgettable. With each step towards buying your home, you will be excited and terrified at the same time—but with proper planning, you have got this.
Buying your home is one of the biggest purchases that require your special attention—you can’t afford to miss anything since you’re investing your money and time in it. It should be perfect and according to the law—of course, every country has its policies and laws for people who’re buying their place in the country. If you have decided to buy your new home, you will need some apartment hunting tips to make sure that you’re not missing anything. So, let’s get started!
1. Identify Your Housing Needs
This is the basic apartment hunting tip that everyone should consider. Before even starting hunting, you need to identify your housing needs. Don’t just fall for something that you see online since your requirements regarding your first home is all that matters. From location to the area to neighbourhood to amenities to nearby resources, you need to have an idea of everything in your mind.
Make a list of features that your house must have, such as the number of stories, size of the yard, pool, kitchen, architectural style, interior and number of bedrooms. Also, decide whether you want to move into any developed construction or can wait until a particular construction will get ready. Prioritizing every second house you see on the internet can make the process hard which is why always look for features according to your list and eliminate those houses that don’t have what you require.
2. Check Your Credit Score
Before extending credit to you for your house, lenders will check your credit score. A credit score between 300 to 900 allows lenders to determine the risk they can face in the procedure of extending money. You need to check your credit score since it will help you to understand if you, by chance, fall on the scale so that you can improve it before proceeding with an application for a mortgage. There are plenty of websites where you can check your credit score or you can take the help of professionals who will also suggest some good ways to improve your credit score if it is not suitable. If your score is lower than expected, here are some ways through which you can improve it.
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How do I find out my credit score?
- Purchase your credit score from the three nationwide credit bureaus such as FICO or other providers.
- You can get it from your financial or credit company.
- You can also check your credit score from any credit scoring site or credit service.
You can directly get your credit score report from www.annualcreditreport.com (three nationwide credit bureaus) since you’re allowed to get a free copy every 12 months.
How do you check your credit score?
- Visit any credit score checking site
- Enter your name and add your contact details including email
- Verify your contact details by entering the OTP you have received on your mobile number or email id
- Verify your age
- You will get your credit score report on the screen
3. Create a Budget
Another one of the important house hunting tips that you need to consider. People often make mistakes while buying a house and not setting a budget after analyzing monthly expenses is one of them. As the saying goes, don’t buy what you can’t afford or not. It is an absolute disaster for you and your family. Before finalizing any house, create a budget according to your monthly income and expenditure like school fees and groceries.
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Best way to do a budget
Setting a budget to buy a home involves more than what you can see in front of you. You need to check if the home is affordable by dividing your monthly expense by your gross income. Other than that, property taxes, upkeep expenses and insurance are some other essential expenditures that need to be involved to create a budget.
How to set a budget for a house
- Break down all the costs of owning a home
- Make a list by including essentials to save for home expenses
- Determine where to cut back
- Plan regular budget evaluations
- Save as much as you can
4. Get Pre-Approved by a Mortgage Lender
Another essential apartment hunting tip—get pre approved by a mortgage lender. What your bank indicates that you can afford and what actually you can afford are two different things. Make sure that you have pre-approved for a mortgage before finalizing any house, in fact, before starting the home hunting. This will save your time and money.
Being pre-approved for a mortgage gives you insights into what amount your bank can loan you and it also shows the seller that you’re a potential buyer. However, always remember that just because your bank lends you a certain amount, that doesn’t mean you need to spend all of it on your house. Understand what you can afford before proceeding with the mortgage amount since in the end you’re supposed to pay it back.
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What do lenders need for pre-approval?
There are five things that you need for pre-approval:
- Proof of assets
- Proof of income
- Good credit score report
- Employment verification
- Other documents (driving license, signature, and national security number)
Can a mortgage broker pre approve you?
To get pre-approved, you need to meet either a lender or a mortgage broker—they both can pre-approve you. They will check your details according to the criteria like your income proof, credit score, and ask some questions to pre-approve you for the mortgage.
5. Bring Your House Hunt Checklist with You
Last but not the least, this apartment hunting tip will ensure that your home buying process is on the right track. While searching for the home and visiting different sites, always bring the house-hunt checklist that includes your requirements regarding your dream house with you. Always cross-check before signing any offer or filling application to proceed with the procedure.
Last Words
Interviewing market trends, checking past issues related to the house or seller, identifying neighbors, watching out for the hidden cost, being attentive while signing contracts, prioritizing locations and researching market trends are some other important apartment hunting tips that you should look for. These tips will help you to find the perfect home. Knowing what to expect including ways to avoid common mistakes will make the journey of house-buying easy for you.
