House-Hunting Lunch-Break “To-Dos”

If you’re a home shopper, you’re probably overwhelmed by all of the tasks that go into such an undertaking. Buying a home is stressful, but once you finally sign the closing papers, all of that hard work feels very rewarding. As you’re looking for a home with your agent, there are a few tasks you can easily complete on your own during your lunch break. I know you already have a lot to think about when buying a home, but contributing some daily attention to these tasks will help you in the long run.

When you have an idea of where you want to look for a home, go through the housing inventory online and see what homes are in your desired area that you may be interested in visiting. If you conduct frequent checks of the inventory, you’ll stay up to date with what’s available, and you will be able to add any homes to your list that may be new on the market, while also taking homes off your list that may come off the market. When keeping in mind which homes you may want to consider, this will show your realtor that you are committed to your search.

You can drive through some of the streets and ride past the homes you’re interested in to see how they look in the beauty of autumn. Winter is creeping up on us, so before the snowy weather hits, take some time to look for homes in the crisp weather and colorful foliage. I’m not saying to stop your car right in front of a house and look like a weirdo, but simply cruise past it to get a glimpse of how it looks up close.

You should also check out some community hotspots, as this will help you get to know the kind of people that inhabit a certain town. If you go to a location such as a park or library, you won’t only see the types of people who live in the area, but will also get an idea of the kinds of programs and activities the community offers.

While seeing different houses and visiting their respective towns, it can also be fun to walk around and visit the local businesses, such as a bakery or coffee shop, to see what the small-town economy has to offer. Although you shouldn’t let the tempting aroma of a bakery persuade you into buying a home in a certain town, you can’t deny having a small, family-owned bakery nearby your house is a perk.

Of course, you can also use social media as a way to look for a house. If you go onto any of these types of pages for a real estate company, you might find that they are giving attention to a certain house that may be worth checking out. At Better Homes and Gardens Rand Realty, they do the weekly hashtag, #FreshListingFriday, where they pick a newly listed house in one of the counties they serve and give a shoutout to it on their Facebook and Twitter pages. You can also go on their Pinterest page, where you will find some eye-catching decorating ideas that you may want to consider for your new house.

I know you have a busy schedule and don’t need more on your plate, but if you’re in the middle of looking for a new house, these are a few practices to which you should dedicate some time. When involving yourself in a real estate transaction, you have to be proactive because this is going to be one of the biggest financial decisions you will ever make. If you take these steps, your search for a new house will be less arduous and a lot more fun.

To learn more about Better Homes and Gardens Rand Realty, visit their website and Facebook page, and make sure to “Like” their page. You can also follow them on Twitter.

Sources

www.realestate.aol.com