Your furnishings and decorations will be the ones filling this new residence. Don’t be swayed by beautiful furniture; it leaves with the owner.

Sit down with your professional real estate agent and honestly discuss your income level and living expenses. Take into account future considerations, children, add-ons, amenities, and fix-ups. Your dream home is certainly worth a sacrifice, but don’t mortgage your entire future.

Don’t move too slowly, but don’t move on the first property you see. With your agent’s help, you should be able to view enough properties to get a good overall perspective of the home market. When you find the right property, all the leg work will be worth it.

By aligning yourself with the right real estate professional, you will have an entire team at your disposal. Utilize your lender, title rep, and agent. Each of them should work hand in hand for your benefit. Explore all the options before you sign.

Check out all costs and expenses before you sign, including utilities, taxes, insurance, maintenance, and home owner dues if applicable. Make sure all utilities (gas, electricity, and water) are on during your walk-through so you can inspect everything in working order. Ask lots of questions and be very detail conscious.

All promises and discussions should be in writing. Don’t make any assumptions or believe any assurances. Even the best intentions can be misinterpreted. Have your professional keep an ongoing log in writing of all discussions and get the seller’s written approval on all agreements.

Be open, honest and up front with your team. Hard feelings and disloyalty will cause headaches, delays or may even keep you from getting into the home you worked so hard to locate. Take the time to select the right team in the beginning and your home purchase will be a pleasing and memorable experience.