Finding the perfect house can be a long process. It can be difficult keeping all the information straight when you spend multiple weekends touring a variety of open houses and model homes. Streamlining your home search process will turn an overwhelming situation into one you’ll feel comfortable managing. Use these tips to help feel more in control over the home buying process.
Organize and manage your finances and paperwork
Buying a new home brings a lot of paperwork. It’s important to keep track of your bills, credit score, and other important documents. Gather all of your financial paperwork that documents your income (usually the last for paystubs), tax returns, and W-2 forms, assets, and bank statements so they’re at hand when it’s time to secure a mortgage.
Set your priorities
Before you start home shopping, put together a list of your must-have features for your new home. These can include home size, number of bedrooms and bathrooms, and other features like yard space, dedicated home office, storage space, etc. Setting clear priorities will keep you focused on finding the right home to meet your needs and not get distracted by novel features.
Take notes of the homes you see
Unlike most reality home search shows, you’re probably going to see more than three homes. It’s easy to forget about the details of every home you toured or confuse them with a different house. Instead of stressing yourself out trying to remember everything, jot down notes on your impression and concerns of the home and take some pictures. Here are some things to keep track of:
- Home specs (square footage, number of bedrooms and bathrooms, home-style, features, etc.)
- The neighborhood and your thoughts
- Your first impressions of the home
- Any changes you’ll want to make
- A running list of pros and cons
Keep everything in a single location
Keep all of your home buying information and brochures together so everything you need for your home search is in a single space. This will be especially helpful for information or documents you need to reference multiple times.
Searching for a new home involves a lot of planning and paperwork. Staying organized during your home search will make a potentially overwhelming process manageable. Visit us online at LexingtonChicago.com when you’re ready to find a new home in Chicagoland. We have several new home communities in desirable neighborhoods throughout Chicagoland and are looking forward to welcoming you home.
