Got back into the work week by starting off the morning showing 2 cute farmettes in Parkton and Phoenix to a wonderful couple. They inspired me to compile some “House Hunting Basics” – sometimes we get caught up in the emotion of the process, or the house in front of us, or the competitiveness of the market and feel pressured, and lose the greater context of what’s really happening with the home search.
10 things to keep in mind when house shopping:
1) Don’t let high interest rates discourage you from buying. If you need to move, move. As we have seen over the last few years, things fluctuate and change. Stay savvy (and have an agent watching out for you well after the home purchase is complete) and jump on a good rate when the time is right.
2) A good realtor will give you their REAL opinion on if a house smells or not, and if that smell is fixable.
3) Maryland and South-Central PA are rapidly changing, developing areas. Check out what’s going in and around the area you’re looking in, and make sure the direction the town is headed is still where you’d want to be in 5-10 years! Ask your realtor to check land records for recent purchases or development permits for surrounding land/neighborhoods!
4) You can ALWAYS change the inside of a house, but you can’t change where it is located and the amount of land it has.
5) Don’t settle for less space than you think you need, unless you have a real plan for adding more space.
6) When a home DOESN’T have 10 offers in 2 days, drive through the neighborhood at night or on a weekend. Go during rush hour, put your windows down, and listen for road noise. Do the neighbors look like they like to throw down? Drive by on Saturday night. Do your reconnaissance in multiple ways!
7) Just because it looks like mold, doesn’t mean it is mold. And just because someone tells you it ISN’T mold? It could definitely be mold.
8) The best time to see a house is during rain or after a storm! No surprises about where the water goes – because water always wins
9) I always like to give my clients privacy in the home, even if I just go to a different floor for part of the showing. I want them to have time to talk, dream, envision (or even complain!) – do whatever is needed to make the process theirs. Take the time you need, and if you don’t feel you’re getting it, speak up!
10) Ask ALL of the questions, and never feel bad about asking more! Good realtors are super sleuths and we will get you the info you need – no matter how random!
As always, don’t hesitate if you have any questions or real estate needs! We would love to help.
Elisabeth Yeager Homes and Farms Group of VYBE Realty
C: 443-508-3280 | O: 410-220-4648