Well, apparently it's that time.
We're growing up.
We have started looking for a house.
And more than just the "let's creep on Ziprealty, and Zillow, and Redfin and see if we love something" but actual, pre-approval letter in hand, looking at houses kind of house hunting! Yikes!
We're not in a rush but it's really fun so far!
What's the best piece of advice you could offer to us, since we are property virgins!
I'd love to hear some words of wisdom!
Ummmmmm well I hear Marshfield is nice ;-)
ReplyDeleteAlso, don't spend a dime on anything outside of debit around your closing. I spent $50 at LOFT right before mine and it legit delayed my closing until I closed the account and paid it in full!
Good to know, thanks!
DeleteCongrats on beginning the house search, and on entering your third trimester! So exciting! Stopping by from SITS Girls Comment Love Tribe. Looking forward to following your adventures.
ReplyDeleteThat is really exciting. I remember shopping for my first house. Here's some advice from an "old lady" - try not to make decisions based on emotions! You may end up in a house that you regret buying.
ReplyDeleteOtherwise, enjoy the process and look at as many houses as it takes for you to find the one that is the right fit.
#SITSBlogging
Congratulations! I hope you get your dream home.
ReplyDeletehttp://ahleessa4realz.blogspot.com/
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Congrats! I loved house-hunting!! I hope to do it again someday! A tip that I found was to drive by the home first before calling your realtor. In the beginning, my husband and I would call our realtor if we found a home on the internet. Then we would pull up to the house and usually hate the area. It wasted the realtors time and gas money. So then we started driving by before calling him.
ReplyDeleteAlso, if the price seems really low, there's always a reason! You get what you pay for, for sure!
I love talking house hunting. Shoot me any questions, LoL!
BTW- visiting from the SITS Girls!
theunextreme.com
I do this already! Glad to know I'm not crazy for doing it!
DeleteWhat an excitingly big step! House hunting was fun but stressful for me. Our situation required us to have to find a house in 3 days, so we ended up seeing about 40 houses in that time span. It was too much. I would agree that you should look at your chosen house a few times, in different times of the day, to get an idea of the neighborhood, where the sun hits, etc. Good luck with your search!
ReplyDeleteIf you can identify specific neighborhoods, take a walk in them at different times of day. See what the traffic issues are, if people are out and about, if kids are around. You'll also notice more if you are walking than you would with a drive by. Good luck! We did a ton of research and then one day walked into our current house and knew it was the one (and because of the research knew that it was a good location and a decent price). We've lived here for 16 years and I still love it. #sitsblogging
ReplyDeleteI always check it out once but I hadn't thought to do it multiple times during the day- thanks!
DeleteCongratulations on this new journey! This is a very stressful thing. My one piece of advice is patience. Write down what you really want and make sure you pick the one that has the most from that list. This will probably be the biggest purchase you ever make so take your time. Look for homes in your desired school district, so important! Nothing worse than finding the perfect house and then finding that your kids have to go to a school you don't like!! Stopping by with comment love from the SITS girls! Also a new follower on Twitter and Google+!
ReplyDeleteI'm a teacher so this is super important to me! Thanks!
DeleteLots of good advice so far! I agree check out the neighborhood and schools so you don't find the perfect house in a not so perfect neighborhood. I think also you need to decide if you want a fixer-upper or something ready to move in and do some cost benefit analysis of that. We had a fixer upper (and LOVED the result) and then moved to a new city and bought a place in perfect move in condition. We loved both!
ReplyDeleteStopping by from SITS blogging from Erica Finds (ericafinds dot com!)
We're looking at both to see what we love more! Good to know you've liked both experiences!
DeleteHow exciting. I would make a list of all the MUST haves and MUST have nots... then you have something to judge by. Take pictures and make notes as you go.
ReplyDelete#SITSblogging
Be realistic about fixer-uppers- what you can actually do, what family can help with, the cost of repairs. It's good to have a list of things you want and dealbreakers. But, I think you'll also know the house when you find it. Some house you're gong to walk into and it's just going to be exactly what you want and need right now and you're going to be able to imagine your family living there. Happy hunting!
ReplyDeleteThis! I can absolutely picture great projects but doubt I'd actually be able to do any of them! Ha!
DeleteAhh! We've been homeowners for about a year and a half. Honestly I would advise you clean your house really good before you move in and then simply get used to living there. I'm slowly just now decorating because honestly there is a ton you have to learn when it comes to maintenance and just how things work. I didn't want to rush my decorating or projects and change my mind later. I'm hoping to literally paint my entire house this summer. #SITSblogging
ReplyDeleteMy best advice: don't settle! Try to take in everything and not just be wooed by certain features that you love. Know your list of must-haves and deal-breakers. If you want a fixer-upper, be realistic about every little thing that you'd want to change before you decide if it's worth it. I love our house but my husband and I were in such an excited yank to buy a house that sometimes I wonder if we made the BEST choice. :)
ReplyDeleteThis is my biggest fear! 30 years is a long time to commit to!
DeleteThat's so exciting! I rent, so I don't have any tips, but I'm looking forward to the day I'm in your shoes:) Stopping by from your SITS Girls Tribe.
ReplyDeleteCongrats! House hunting is so fun that I still pretend to house hunt even after we bought our dream home a little over a year ago. That preapproval letter is like your golden ticket to begin your search. Good luck! Stopping by from #SITSBlogging I'll be following along on bloglovin' :)
ReplyDeleteCongratulations! I wish I had some advice for you, but we are still saving for our first home. :) I can't wait until we are at the same point you are! How exciting!! Good luck and have fun! If you aren't in any hurry, take your time for sure. That was one thing my friend has told me more than once. :) So I guess that's one piece of advice. Stopping in from SITS !
ReplyDeleteHow exciting! I'm sure your realtor will tell you the same thing (mine did but I didn't listen!), but you can't have it all. You may have a bunch of features you MUST have, but it is awfully hard and sometimes impossible to find that house and you can afford it. I was house hunting when my twins were just 1 year old, so I had a laundry list of things I absolutely needed, and eventually I had to give in and let go of the "eat-in kitchen." So glad I did! Now I love having a small kitchen and a separate dining room. Best of luck to you!
ReplyDeleteYou can't have it all sadly! But don't settle for something you don't want either.
ReplyDeleteIt really is true...location, location, location. It is better to opt for a smaller home with a fabulous location than a big home in less desirable one...
ReplyDeletebest,
diane
napa farmhouse 1885
Dropping by from SITS girls today.
#SITSBlogging
Oh what a fun time in your lives! I agree with Diane - smaller home in a fabulous location is better than a large home in a neighborhood where you won't be happy. My kids are thriving in our new neighborhood, even though out house is like a thimble compared to our old house. great neighborhood, great schools. They love it here, so the sacrifice in house size has been so worth it. Good luck finding the perfect home for your family! Stopping by from #SITSBlogging!
ReplyDeleteMy mother started going through the process of house hunting a few months ago and is now going through the buying process. It can be a fun time, but also very stressful. My best piece of advice would be to find something you love, but always remember that you can change things later. Good luck! #SITSBlogging
ReplyDeleteI always try to look at the potential of a home. You will normally gain a lot by fixing things up a bit. Don't buy too big of a home. Trust me, it's not fun to be house poor.
ReplyDeleteHouse hunting isn’t an easy task. It’s best to have a complete list what you want in a house so that it'll be a lot easier for you. You can check out listings online or take time to walk through some of the available houses in your area. Hope you’ll be able to have a successful house hunting adventure! :)
ReplyDeleteLeslie Myers