House hunting tips

Before you start the hunt, jot down what you need from a home. If you’re buying with a spouse or partner this is particularly important. Consider things like location, bedroom and space for entertaining. Do you want a reno project or a home that is ready to move in to? Once you have this sorted your search will be more focused.

How much house can you afford? This is important to figure out before you start searching. Talk with your bank first to see what your borrowing capacity is. Getting pre-approval before you start searching is recommended as this will allow you to place an offer on a home without the hassle of losing out if you can’t get your finances in place when it counts.

With the internet, researching is easy. Consider your price bracket, location, type of home, and recent sales in the area. Look at the services available in your target suburbs. Don’t forget to think about the future too. Will you be living there for a few years? Will you likely do a renovation during that time? What will the property be worth in the future? Are you likely to settle down long term in the new home?

A shortlist of homes that you want to inspect will help reduce the amount of time that you’re spending on homes that don’t suit. Another tip, don’t visit homes that are above your budget, save yourself from the heartache.

On open home day, wear comfortable clothes. Take some water with you and enjoy the experience. Don’t be intimidated by real estate agents – ask them questions about the house and the current market. When you have finished with all your inspections go down to your local pub or cafe and recap what you learnt from the experience.

If you have all of the above ticked off you’re likely to come across a home that suits what you are after. Be mentally ready for this as you will be at that point of making an offer. Sometimes you may miss out but there will be a time when you score yourself your very own home!