What You Need To Know Before You Buy A Home In 2017

The new year brings on new goals, and for plenty of people buying new property might be on that goal list. If you’re going to be buying your first home in 2017, there are a few things you should know and we’re going to help you out, this is what you need to know before you buy a home in 2017.

Interview potential real estate agents

You’re probably wondering how you find the right realtor for you and what better way to do that than by interviewing them. This person is helping you make the biggest purchase of your life, why not make sure they have your best interests in mind. Find a couple of people you think will be right for you and ask questions just to see how well they align with you. The last thing you need is an agent you can’t trust or you don’t like; you’re going to be dealing with them for a couple weeks, maybe even a couple months.

Check your credit score

Contrary to what you think, you can’t just walk in and buy a home. Your credit score is going to matter and it will impact your mortgage. Be sure to check your credit score before you start house hunting, you don’t want any surprises when you start looking for a mortgage. There are several free online services which will do this for you, free of charge.

Don’t forget about closing costs

Unfortunately, the price tag you see on a home is not the total of your brand new purchase. You are going to have to deal with closing costs. Make sure you do a thorough check of what you need to be prepared for, ask family and friends, you don’t want to be caught near the end of the process without being prepared for these added costs.

Get your hands dirty

When you move into your first home,  it’s probably not going to have everything that you want and need, but don’t let that completely deter you from the home in your price range. The wallpaper in the washroom might not be exactly what you like, but learn how to take it down and paint it yourself. You can save yourself plenty of cash by learning how to do things around the house instead of hiring someone every time an appliance or room needs some fixing.

Stay on budget

Like we said earlier, this is most likely the biggest purchase of your life, unless you plan on buying a spaceship or something after your home purchase. Budget carefully and be sure to stay within that budget. Going over your budget might make it tougher in other areas of your life, so don’t stray away from that budget you’ve set for yourself.

Get ready for your big move

Moving is a hassle and you definitely don’t want your furniture or walls ruined in your brand new home, so do your homework and find some trusted movers in your area. They can save you a lot of headaches and give you a lot less to worry about.

Great Canadian Van Lines have been a trusted moving company for decades, contact us and we can help you get started on your local move or long-distance move.

 

Photos via Shutterstock.

 

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