{"id":217,"date":"2019-10-21T14:21:06","date_gmt":"2019-10-21T14:21:06","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/phphouses.com\/blog\/?p=217"},"modified":"2019-10-21T14:21:09","modified_gmt":"2019-10-21T14:21:09","slug":"5-tips-for-starting-your-home-search","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/phphouses.com\/blog\/5-tips-for-starting-your-home-search\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Tips for Starting Your Home Search"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Woman searching for houses<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In today\u2019s market, low inventory dominates the conversation in many areas of the country. It can often be frustrating to be a first-time homebuyer if you aren\u2019t prepared. Here are five tips from realtor.com<\/em>\u2019s article<\/a>, \u201cHow to Find Your Dream Home\u2014Without Losing Your Mind.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Get Pre-Approved for a Mortgage Before You Start Your Search<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

One way to show you\u2019re serious about buying your dream home is to get pre-qualified or pre-approved<\/a> for a mortgage. Even if you\u2019re in a market that is not as competitive, understanding your budget will give you the confidence of knowing whether or not your dream home is within your reach. This will help you avoid the disappointment of falling in love with a home well outside your price range.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Know the Difference Between Your \u2018Must-Haves\u2019 and \u2018Would-Like-To-Haves\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Do you really need that farmhouse sink in the kitchen to be happy with your home choice? Would a two-car garage be a convenience or a necessity? Before you start your search, list all the features of a home you would like. Qualify<\/a> them as \u2018must-haves\u2019<\/em>, \u2018should-haves\u2019<\/em>, or \u2018absolute-wish list\u2019<\/em> items. This will help you stay focused on what\u2019s most important.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Research and Choose a Neighborhood Where You Want to Live<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Every neighborhood has unique charm. Before you commit to a home based solely on the house itself, take a test-drive of the area. Make sure it meets your needs for \u201camenities, commute, <\/em>school district<\/em><\/a>, etc. and then spend a weekend exploring before you commit.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. Pick a House Style You Love and Stick to It<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Evaluate your family\u2019s needs and settle on a style of home that will best serve those needs. Just because you\u2019ve narrowed your search to a zip code doesn\u2019t mean you need to tour every listing in that vicinity. An example from the article says, \u201cif you have several younger kids and don\u2019t want your bedroom on a different level, steer clear of Cape Cod\u2013style homes, which typically feature two or more bedrooms on the upper level and the master on the main.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

5. Document Your Home Visits<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once you start touring homes, the features of each individual home will start to blur together. The article suggests keeping your camera handy and making notes on the listing sheet to document what you love and don\u2019t love about each property you visit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bottom Line<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In a high-paced, competitive environment, any advantage you can give yourself will help you on your path to buying your dream home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Contact us:
PHP Houses<\/a>
142 W Lakeview Ave
Unit 1030
Lake Mary, FL 32746
Ph: (407) 519-0719
Fax: (407) 205-1951
email: info@phphouses.com<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let’s Connect:
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<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In today\u2019s market, low inventory dominates the conversation in many areas of the country. It can often be frustrating to be a first-time homebuyer if you aren\u2019t prepared. Here are five tips from realtor.com\u2019s article, \u201cHow to Find Your Dream Home\u2014Without Losing Your Mind.\u201d 1. Get Pre-Approved for a Mortgage Before You Start Your Search One way to… Finish Reading 5 Tips for Starting Your Home Search<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[36],"tags":[15,50,18,27,51,49,40,20,24,13,28,47,19,17],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/phphouses.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/217"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/phphouses.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/phphouses.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/phphouses.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/phphouses.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=217"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/phphouses.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/217\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":219,"href":"https:\/\/phphouses.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/217\/revisions\/219"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/phphouses.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=217"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/phphouses.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=217"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/phphouses.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=217"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}