Once you’ve decided upon your criteria, call your real estate agent. Let them know what you’re looking for and what your price range is. They will get to work on your behalf, shortlisting the properties that meet your criteria so you can start your viewing from there. Then comes the fun part: Finding that perfect home you’ve been dreaming of! SCHEDULE ADEQUATE TIME When going to view homes, make sure you’ve got plenty of time to really view the home from a critical perspective. Schedule enough time to do a proper inspection. Look into all closets and crawl spaces. It’s possible you will be living there for years to come, so five minutes strolling around is not going to be adequate to form an opinion. Two hours to view your potential house is an appropriate calendar entry. Research suggests that when buyers spend a longer time viewing a home, they are more likely to pay below the asking price. BE THOROUGH Related to scheduling adequate time to view the home, be thorough when checking it out. Open drawers, cabinets, and cupboards. Look behind furniture, and even under it to find stains or signs of wear not readily evident. Lift up rugs, if necessary. While this may seem rude, it’s not. You’re about to make a substantial investment and you need to know exactly what you’re getting. Sellers are not obliged to inform you of or show you every single defect in the home, so you need to find them yourself. An artfully positioned chair could be hiding something, so feel free to look where you need to. Of course, if you’ve dismissed the home from the start, do only a minimal walkthrough or don’t bother with the inspection at all. But if the property has potential and is something you like, open every door and look in closets. WHAT COMES WITH THE PROPERTY? Confirm what comes with home — e.g., whether the stands or fixtures are for the exclusive use of that home or if the owners will remove them.
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