Before shopping for a home, it’s important to set your priorities and decide which are more important to you: space, finishes or location. If you settle on this in advance, you can make thoughtful decisions during the home-buying process and avoid the unsettling feeling of buyer’s remorse.
Owning a home is a huge commitment — and a more expensive one than some homebuyers realize. Before buying a home, make sure you know exactly what you’re getting into so you can decide if you’re financially and personally ready for such a large commitment. In addition to your monthly mortgage payment, figure out how much you’ll be paying for property taxes, homeowner’s insurance, HOA fees and other monthly costs of owning a home.
Even if you don’t have kids, it pays to check out a neighborhood’s school district before buying a home, as living in a neighborhood with a desirable public school provides stability, community spirit and often appreciation of the neighborhood’s property values.
Make sure to have a home inspection clause in your contract. A good home inspector will point out any material defects and deferred maintenance issues that were not visible when you first saw the property. During your attorney review contingency you can request the seller fix these little defects.
If you’re ready to take the next step and start the process of finding your dream home, why not enlist the help of one of Chicago’s real estate power hitters?
