It doesn’t have to be hard to find your new ideal place to live. It also doesn’t have to feel like it takes up all your time and therefore makes you feel very stressed out. The problem is that if you start looking for a great new home in the wrong way, it will be stressful and not fun at all. You might even settle for something less than what you really want because you just want to be done with the search. Because of this, it’s helpful to have some tips on house hunting so that the process goes more smoothly and your busy life doesn’t get too disrupted (apart from the move itself, of course – there’s not a lot we can do about that!).
Know Your Budget
If you don’t want to waste time when house hunting, you need to know what you can afford before you start looking for a new place to live, whether you’re buying or renting. To do this, you will need to make a list of all your expenses and income and figure out how much money you have left over for a mortgage or rent payment.
If you’re already paying for a place to live, you’ll know if the amount you’re paying is enough or if you want to cut it or raise it. If you need to, you can talk to a professional to find out what you can afford. So, you can immediately narrow down your search and save a lot of time.
Research Prices And Shortlist Areas
After figuring out your budget and what you want and need from your new home, the next step is to look into where you want to live. If you know about the area, you won’t waste time house hunting homes that aren’t in the right place
Some of this research can be done online, like checking prices and keeping track of how long properties in the area have been on the market. You should keep this in mind when planning visits if they’re moving quickly. If they’re not, you should think about why.
It’s also important to go to the area at different times of the day and night to see how it feels during the day and at night. Check out the shops and green spaces in the area, as well as how well it meets the needs and wants on your list.
Get Some Viewing Help
It might be that if you’re very busy when it comes to house hunting, you need some extra help to ensure you find the right place for you. One way to do this is to speak to all the estate agents in the area you want to move to as possible – give them precise details about what it is you want, and this will narrow down your choices.
Another option is to hire Looksy Inventories to view properties on your behalf. We can go to the places you can’t when house hunting, either because you’re busy or you live a long distance away (perhaps even in another country) and offer a full report – including a video walkthrough – of the property. Give us a list of your requirements and we’ll let you know what fits and what doesn’t. Contact us today to find out more.