A few things to consider when purchasing your first home!

So you are thinking of purchasing your very first home of your very own!? How exciting! I have a few things to consider as you start your search for your new home that maybe you haven’t thought about but are definitely important topics.  First, think about your future growth of your family.  While at first you will be looking for a home that will satisfy your needs right now, you will want to think about your future family plans.  If you are planning a family you will obviously need more bedrooms, what about another bathroom or more than one living space.  Secondly, think about the “must haves” in a house and the “would be nice to haves” in a house.  We all know there is no house that will be perfect, so pick the top 3 things that you feel the house must have and go from there.  Things that are important to some buyers may not be as important to others, everyone’s lists will be different but if you have a top few it will help in your search.  Third, pay attention to the mechanicals of the home.  As it is easy to get wrapped up in the looks and features of a home, it is important to make sure the mechanicals are good.  We always recommend a home inspection when purchasing a home.  Inspectors do a very thorough job in inspecting every aspect of the home.  Finally, be aware of all the costs of owning a home.  Usually when renting you have some utilities included in your rent, while when you own a home those are obviously separate bills.  When your lender pre-approves you for a home loan remember that he does not include these figures in when approving you. So make sure you figure out a good estimate of utilities along with your mortgage payment while figuring our your monthly budget.  I hope these tips helped you!