Owning a home is an incredibly rewarding experience that can truly change your life for the better. With a variety of housing options available on the market, the question becomes how to pinpoint the ideal property that will meet your needs while also aligning with your preferences. If you are looking for the best possible home for you and your family, The Malakai Sparks Group is here to help. Read on for valuable insight into what to do and look for during your search.
Set a Realistic Budget
First and foremost, you will want to take the time to figure out what budget you have to work with. While it may be tempting to throw caution to the wind, failing to stay within your financial means can lead to a whole host of problems. It will ultimately be hard to enjoy living in your new home if you are constantly worrying about mortgage payments and other expenses. That being the case, you are best off being realistic about how much you can spend on a home and limiting your search accordingly.
Consider Your Needs
In addition to determining a viable budget, you will also want to think carefully about what you and your family require in a home. One of the most important considerations in this regard is available space. In particular, you’ll want to figure out how many bedrooms and bathrooms you need. Do you think that your family may expand in the near future? Are you planning on hosting guests? Do you work from home and/or need a home office?
If your answer to any of these questions is “yes”, you may want to consider getting a home with one or more extra rooms to accommodate. Also, think about what size kitchen and living room you want along with yard space requirements. Figuring all of this out up front will make it easier to further refine your search.
Search Online and Seek Out Recommendations
As soon as you’ve identified your budget and room requirements, you can begin your search in earnest. There are user-friendly real estate websites, including Zillow, Trulia, and Redfin, that enable you to filter listings by location, price, square footage, number of bedrooms & bathrooms, and more.
If you already have a specific city, town, or even neighborhood in mind, you can include that in the search to see what options are currently available there. On the other hand, if you are more flexible in terms of location, there are certain considerations that come into play here as well. You’ll want to look for areas that are safe with minimal crime rates, as well as those that offer sufficient places to shop for food and other necessities. Think also about what services you and your family need, and whether the area you’re considering has those services available nearby. If you have school-age children, or are expecting to have children, you’ll want to factor in the quality of local school districts as well.
In addition to searching online, it is also great to get recommendations from family and friends if possible. Their personal experiences can often help guide you and provide insight that will make your search a bit easier. It never hurts to bounce ideas off of those that you trust, particularly in situations like this where significant life decisions are involved.
Visit the Homes In Person and Trust Your Feelings
When you’ve narrowed down your search to a few potential properties, the next step is to visit those houses in person. Looking at pictures, videos, and 3D tours of homes online is far different than seeing it with your own eyes. Take the time to explore the home and see how it makes you feel. If you do not end up with a good feeling about a particular property and can’t see you and your family being truly happy living there, it’s best to move on to other options. Also, do not hesitate to ask any questions that come to mind as you’re doing your examination.
The Malakai Sparks Group will Help Find the Perfect Home for You and Your Family in Orange County
While you can seek out the ideal home on your own, the entire process becomes far easier when you work with a knowledgeable and experienced real estate agent. If you’re interested in buying a home in Orange County, there’s no better agency to work with than The Malakai Sparks Group. Born and raised in the area, Malakai Sparks is committed to helping individuals and families find their dream homes and works hard with his team to accomplish just that. Malakai has in-depth knowledge of the local real estate markets as well as valuable industry contacts that keep him well informed on all of the latest and greatest offerings. To learn more and discuss your particular needs, please contact us online or give us a call at (714) 655-1627.
