House Hunting Tips: Things to Consider Before You House Hunt

This post on house hunting tips was sponsored by AT-A-GLANCE as part of an Influencer Activation. All opinions expressed in this post are my own.
As soon as Chris and I got back from our honeymoon, we started the house hunting process!  This is something both of us had been looking forward to for years, but living in various states we weren’t sure if we’d be staying in or not had always held us back.  Needless to say, I can’t even begin to describe how excited I am to finally be able to make this important decision and not second guess it!  We’ve finally made a decision on what our plans are in regards to our future home, and I can’t wait to share all the details with y’all soon (real soon, I promise!).

So far, the process has been fun, but I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t stressful at times.  I’m certainly no expert when it comes to house hunting, nor am I professional realtor, but I have learned a few things during my personal experience that I feel would be beneficial to share.  I hope these house hunting tips come in handy for anyone else about to begin the house hunting process.
Start Saving

Before you consider purchasing a home, start saving if you haven’t already!  There are so many expenses that go into the process beyond just the sale price and down payment of the home (closing costs, upgrades, appliances, new furniture, etc- it all adds up quickly).  It’s never too early or too late to start saving because ever dollar will count.  I understand it may not be possible for everyone, but I can’t stress enough how important it is to have cash for at least a 20% down payment.  Doing so, you will avoid having to pay PMI (Private Mortgage Insurance), which will save you lots of money down the road.

Create a Budget 

If you don’t already do so, it’s a good idea to create a budget for your monthly expenses and cashflow. You’ll need to know how much house you can actually afford, regardless of what a lender says you can afford, because a lot of times it’s more than you need!  Once you have your budget set and you know you can afford a home, it’s time to take the next step!

Check your credit score

In order to get a loan and a desirable interest rate, you’ll need a good credit score.  As soon as purchasing a home comes to mind, you should start monitoring your credit.  The earlier you do so, the more time you’ll have to improve it if needed.

Learn the area

Prior to actively house hunting, you should have a good idea about the area you’re interested in buying.  Start to get a feel for the market and how much homes sell for in the area.  Also consider the school districts if that’s important to you, as well as crime rate, flood zones, distance to work, etc.

Get pre approved 

When you’re ready to actively house hunt, you’ll need to get pre approved so you can know if you’ll be able to get a loan and how much you can afford.  A pre-approval will ensure nobody involved in the process is wasting their time on something that, unfortunately, may not even be possible.  Once you’re approved and you know your range, it’s helpful to run the numbers of potential price points you’re shopping so you can know what you will be able to afford once extras like insurance and interest are added.

Find a realtor

A realtor is there to assist you and doesn’t cost you anything, so having one on board will only be for your benefit!  Realtors provide valuable house hunting tips from the beginning to the end, so make sure you like them because you’ll be spending a lot of time with them!
Use a planner

You’ll most likely be touring lots of homes and this process can go on for months.  You’ll have many appointments scheduled, so be sure to write it all down so you don’t over look anything or over schedule yourself.  Sidenote: AT-A-GLANCE planners are great for this!  These planners help you organize through big life transitions and capture all of your life’s moments!  The new 2017 collection represents different design elements and various formats, so there’s a fit for any style!  This planner has helped me so much during house hunting and scheduling meetings!  It’s a great way to keep everything in one place.

Make an essentials checklist

Before you walk into any home, make sure you have a checklist of everything you want and stick to it!  It’s so easy to get caught up in the excitement of buying a home and you may be tempted to settle.  Settling will only leave you wishing for more later on, so don’t do it!  With that being said, your must haves should also be realistic and within reason.  It’s unlikely you’ll find everything you want, but you can get pretty close.  Weigh out what’s the most important to you and decide from there.

Take notes

You’ll see lots of homes and they will all start blending together into one big ole mess in your brain.  While you’re there, take lots of pictures.  As soon as you leave, immediately write down your thoughts on the house- what you liked and what you didn’t like, that way you can reference it all later.

Will you be starting the house hunting process soon?  If you’ve already done so, share your house hunting tips below!
Be sure to check out these planners in use on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest for your house hunting organization needs!