5 things you need to take into consideration when purchasing a home

Real estate purchase is an important life decision so it is important that you approach it accordingly. Take your time and browse through each and every offer for which you believe that it could potentially be your next home. Make a list of those which impressed you the most and view them twice or even three times if necessary.

Make sure that you feel comfortable and do not forget to ask what the costs are and if there are any disadvantages or adaptations needed. Take into consideration all pieces of information and weigh in your decision regarding the purchase.

To save some time and money during your search for an ideal home follow the next steps:

PLAN – Before you even start browsing through the offers, you have to think about the real estate you are searching for. Talk to your partner or your family and draft a few points of what you expect your next home to have and also a draft of questions you will ask the current owners. Since you will probably spend at least a few years in this home, it is important to consider also the future. Would you prefer to live in a newly build apartment building or a house? How many bedrooms do you need? Do you want the home to be furnished or would you prefer to furnish it on your own? Do you need a parking space or is it more important that the city bus stop is close? These are some of the questions you have to answer before embarking on the journey of finding your ideal home. The plan is important because if your search is too broad almost certainly you will find a real estate with the perfect floorplan or furniture, but will be in the wrong location. Having a good plan will help you avoid such disappointments.

OFFER – Having a good plan, you are ready to begin browsing through the offers. Check the offer daily on different real estate websites and also on the websites of real estate agencies. At the moment, the demand exceeds the offer so it is important to react fast when you find an offer which suits your criteria. To make your search online easier set the criteria in advance or apply to a mailing list and get the newest offers directly on your e-mail address. A good real estate agent will make the search even easier.

LOCATION – When it comes to real estate the importance of location is always emphasized. In every country or district there are certain neighbourhoods which are believed to have the best location. What we want to emphasize is that your location is what truly matters. Regardless of what is thought to be the best location, each and every buyer should consider their needs when it comes to where they want to live. Are you willing to commute to work or do you prefer to live close to work? Is there a parking area near the apartment or are you willing to park in a close-by public garage? For those who have a family, the distance to the closest kindergarten or primary school might also be important. Another question is whether you would prefer to live close to shops, banks, post offices or you do not mind the commute. These are some of the criteria which will help you choose the right area you want to live in. To sum up, the right location is the location that suits you and your family.

IDEAL TIME TO PURCHASE – Real estate prices are changing constantly according to the supply and demand ratio, which depends on economic state, demographic movements, construction plans for certain areas, etc. Being informed on these movements in the real estate market helps you find the ideal time to purchase your new home. When determining the ideal time consult also with your financial consultant to help you with a possible loan and a real estate agent. A good real estate agent will be able to predict the movements on the real estate market in the future which will help you make a plan.

REAL ESTATE AGENT – Working with a professional and qualified real estate agent will save you time and money. An agent will keep you informed of new suitable real properties and save you the time of viewing all available properties, which might not even be worth your time and energy. They will also inform you of the actual conditions and the legal status of each and every real property. If you decide that a particular real property is of interest to you, an agent will negotiate with the owner to reach a suitable price. What is more, an agent will be able to help you with the process and the documentation needed to legally purchase a real property. It is enough that you have to make a decision for a particular real estate, let the agent do the rest.

Source: Stoja Trade d.o.o.