7 Questions (and their answers) That People Ask When Buying a Home

Buying a home, whether for the first time or not, always gives us a buzz.

Many choices have to be made and finding the best place is not so easy.

There are so many details that have to be considered, contacts to be made, and money to be spent.

Buying a home is challenging, as it requires not only financial resources, but it can challenge your emotions as you are not buying just a property, but a place you will soon call home.

So this time I interviewed Katriel Calderon, a real estate broker at Nest Seekers to give some home-buying tips.

Here is what he shared.

1. How should you decide whether the potential home is the dream home actually?

Many of my clients end up making their purchase when I ask them a time-tested question “Would you sell this home in the next 3 years?” 

Often times homeowners will buy with a bias; a price bias. And they often buy something they’re not crazy about just because they feel they’ve gotten a good financial deal speculating selling within a short time to ultimately buy their true “dream home”.

The first thing some home buyers focus on, or should I say refer to is PRICE, not location, nor size but price… It’s a huge pitfall because their attitude toward their home is that of bargain-hunting at Walmart. 

You may also like to read: How to Decide Where to Live Next. In this guide, we suggest 9 things to consider when choosing where to live next.

2. What is the fastest and at the same time most efficient way to buy a new home?

Hire help. You are great at your career and realtors are good at theirs.

Chasing every listing as a buyer often sets you up for exhaustion as you’ll be viewing tens if not hundreds of homes for no reason.

A talented realtor will not only cut down your search by over 60% but also have access to a plethora of “pocket listings” which make up at least 40-50% of the deals made today, in which the seller declines the open marketing of their property and instead are shared only between brokers.

You may also like to read: How to Choose the Best Neighborhood to Move to. In this guide, we suggest ways to choose the best neighborhood in which to live for your lifestyle and quality of life.

3. What are all expenses associated with the home-buying process? 

Being prepared will save a lot of time and money because, between due diligence and closing costs, people are often surprised.

You will need at least 5-7% of purchase price. This will encompass lawyers, contracts, and closing costs.

Don’t stress miscellaneous closing costs (a labyrinth of hidden fees) because often just asking your bank to wave them or doing some of the work yourself (having your lawyer draft a sales contract, do a property search for liens and judgments, and if all else fails to add them to your mortgage) will benefit you immediately because they’ll end up being a tax write off.

You may also like to read: How Much Money to Save When Moving Home. In this guide, we look at the various expenses you will face when moving into a new home.

4. How to efficiently manage the finances for buying a new home?

Set aside 3-6 months of post closing living expenses (mortgage, bills etc) because it’s not known to many, but banks love to see that reserve and I’ve seen plenty of borrowers get approved just because of their reserves.

Get a hold of your credit report and dispute EVERYTHING, I mean everything.

While it may seem rash, the reason for this is that the disputes will not only clear old blemishes but update your balances due which will provide a fresh report, making your application more appealing to your lender.

You may also like to read: 20 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Moving Home. From deciding if now is the right time to move to how to choose a reliable moving company, in this guide, we suggest 20 questions to ask yourself when moving home.

5. Should you buy a new construction or consider renovation?

Greatly depends on your budget.

Both are incredible gems given the right person.

Depending on where you plan to live, the rule of thumb is to look at unimproved properties to gauge construction quality.

If it is subpar, go for a new construction as you’ll be covered by new construction builders insurance more often than not.

You may also like to read: Tips for Moving Into a Newly Built Home. In this guide, we look at the pros and cons of moving into a newly built home, as well as offer tips to make moving so much easier.

6. How should you choose a real estate agent?

The million dollar question! Choose someone who truly knows and works your future neighborhood.

The reason being they’ll have a true insight on comparable home prices as well as the quality of homes being offered.

Another unorthodox approach many savvy buyers will do is to test the agent; whether by testing their honesty and or testing their negotiation skills.

These are traits that will be scarce but when you find them you’ve found a winner.

You may also like to read: How to Choose a Moving Company. It is essential that you choose a good mover to make moving day so much easier. In this guide, we show you how to pick the right mover for your relocation.

7. What is the biggest mistake home buyers make? How can that be avoided?

The two greatest regrets/mistakes I’ve seen are not enough due diligence and taking too long to take action.

Some are too caught up with the fancy features and overlook structural or utility issues; some problems are cheaper to fix then others.

There are often buyers who feel as though they can take their time with a purchase hoping that the seller will drop the price disregarding a agents advice.

I’ve had and seen plenty of sales never happen because someone else saw the same great deal and capitalized on it right away leaving us with our buyers and a bittersweet “I told you so”.

If you are still looking for your ideal place to live, be sure to check out our home moving blog which has guides to all the major cities and States as well as all you need to know to make your home move easier, cheaper, and safer.

Good luck in the search for your new home!