Choosing a Home

Choosing a home can be both exciting and intimidating.  Use the information below to get you thinking in the right direction.

Narrowing the Search

If you plan to buy a home soon, you will need to know “where you are going.”  For a most enjoyable home-buying experience, first build a road map to your new home, a list of priorities that will lead you to your objective – a new home!

The first priority is time frame.  Write down the date by which you would like to move into your new home.  Keep in mind that it may take 30-90 days (or more) to locate the right home, secure financing, and complete the home-buying process.

The next priority is to develop a detailed description of the home you hope to find.  Download the Home Search Criteria form to help you distinguish between “Need to Have” features and “Nice to have” features.  Be Specific.  Include architectural style, number of bedrooms and baths, location, lot size, and other special requirements.  Number your preferences in order of greatest importance to you. 

This form, along with the information you share during your initial consultation with your agent, will enable your agent to narrow the home search.  Your agent then will take this information and enter your requirements into the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) system and come up with a list of homes that best meet your needs and wants.

During the home search, your Keller Williams Agent will…

• Discuss the benefits and drawbacks of each home in relation to your specific needs
• Keep you informed on a regular basis
• Check the MLS database and with other brokers regularly for new listings
• Prepare a list of all homes that best meet your needs and wants
• Keep you up to date on changing financial conditions that may affect the housing marketing
• Answer your questions and/or offer assistance regarding your home purchase
• Discuss market trends and values relative to properties that may be of interest to you

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The Neighborhood

There are many factors to consider when selecting a neighborhood that is right for you.  Below are just a few of them.  You may think of others that are important to you.  Please write them on your Home Search Criteria form, so they are easy to remember and to communicate.

Neighborhoods have characteristic personalities designed to best suit single people, growing families, two-career couples, or retirees.  Investigate to determine if the neighborhood matches your lifestyle and personality.

Neighborhood Factors to Consider:

• Look for things like access to major thoroughfares, highways, and shopping
• Listen for noise created by commerce, roads, railways, public areas, schools, etc...
• Smell the air for adjacent commerce or agriculture
• Check with local civic, police, fire, and school officials to find information about the area
• Research things like soil and water
• Look at traffic patterns around the area during different times of the day and drive from the area to work
• Is the neighborhood near parks, churches, recreation centers, shopping, theaters, restaurants, public transportation, schools, etc.?
• Does the neighborhood belong to a Homeowner’s Association?

Scout out the Neighborhood!

It is important that you scout the neighborhood in person.  You live in more than your house. 

• Talk to people who live there
• Drive through the entire area at different times of the day, during the week and on weekends
• Look carefully at how well other homes in the area are being maintained; are they painted, are the yards well cared for; are parked cars in good condition, etc.

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