appropriate living spaces, and enough functional rooms. It also provides for all your wants, such as perhaps a gourmet kitchen, a huge fenced-in yard, a finished or unfinished basement, even a swimming pool. Now, keep in mind that it’s rare for anyone to get exactly everything they want in a home and yard, in the area and neighborhood they want, at the right price. Affordability is certainly an issue, but price aside, homes rarely have everything exactly the way buyers want them. You’ll need to determine what you’re willing to concede (a want) and what you will absolutely not give up (a need).
TAKE YOUR TIME
Be prepared for the home-search process to take considerable time and energy. In fact, sometimes it can feel downright exhausting. On the other hand, some buyers find their dream home right away. But don’t settle early and don’t settle for a home that doesn’t feel quite right just because you’re tired of waiting for the home that’s right for you. Not all buyers’ experiences are similar. Some literally make an offer on the first home they check out because it meets all their needs and most of their wants. Other buyers aren’t so lucky, or they feel uncertain and wish to take their time and visit dozens of homes before making an offer. According to the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) 2017 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, the typical search period remained the same from the 2016 report, at 10 weeks for a buyer to find a home. From 2009 to 2013, the usual home-search process took 12 weeks. Buyers generally looked at a median of 10 homes before finding a home they wanted to purchase. For 2017, buyers in the south and west in the U.S. searched for just 8 weeks, while buyers in the northeastern U.S. looked for a home for 12 weeks.
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