Congratulations, you’re ready to buy your first home! It’s an exciting but also nerve-wracking time. You’ve saved up, you’ve daydreamed for years, and now the day is finally here.

In 2020, 2.38 million Americans bought their first home. As you probably know, it’s easy to make mistakes when you’re a first-time home buyer. Fortunately, with the right house hunting tips, you can stay on track while finding the perfect home for your needs.

Here are the tips you need to know!

1. Get Pre-Approved Before You Shop

The housing market is extremely competitive in most areas, meaning that there will be a lot of interest in any home you look at. Getting pre-approved for a mortgage before you start searching for a house will mean you can make an offer more quickly.

Sellers aren’t going to spend time on a buyer who isn’t committed, and the pre-approval shows you are serious about the house. Remember, pre-approval is different from pre-qualification — take the extra steps!

2. Determine Your Non-Negotiables

As a first-time home buyer, you probably have a lot of ideas about what you want in a home. Unfortunately, you’ll quickly find that there’s no perfect house out there. You’ll have to compromise.

As you find properties for sale, quickly screen them for your non-negotiable needs. For instance, if you need a ranch-style home for an older family member, you can skip two-story properties. Be careful, though — if your list of non-negotiables is too long, you’ll never find the right house!

3. Be Sure to Work With a Real Estate Agent

Many buyers start the home buying process online, looking at listed properties and determining what’s available. However, when it’s time to really make your move, you want a real estate agent on your side.

A Realtor will help you negotiate with the seller’s real estate agent, who otherwise might push you into a poor deal. They’ll also help ensure all the paperwork is correct and clue you into newly listed homes so you can get an advantage.

Don’t worry about commissions — the seller pays those. Having an agent on your side simply helps you find the right house more quickly and move through the closing process smoothly.

4. Save Room in Your Budget

One of the most important house buying tips is to save room in your budget. You might be tempted to look at homes at the very top of your pre-approved mortgage range or stretch to buy a home at the peak of your budget. Be careful before you make that decision!

Home buyers have closing costs to think about. Also, moving in itself costs money, from the moving truck to any help you might need to hire. You may also move in and discover problems that need to be addressed before you settle in.

Finally, you’ll want some of your budget for any decorating or updates you want to do immediately, even if it’s just painting. Those costs add up quickly!

Use These House Hunting Tips to Enjoy the Process

Buying your first house is exciting! Knowing what to expect as you look for a home makes the process so much easier. So does having the right house hunting tips to avoid common mistakes.

Interested in learning more about buying property? We have a lot of resources on our site. Take a look today!