1st Step in the Buyers Process
House hunting begins at home, with a lot of planning. While it's fun to grab the computer and start looking at sites for homes, you need to do a little preplanning.
Once you've made the decision to buy, there are a few things you'll need. I'm sure you've already seen some of the homes for sale, so in your mind you have a list of your must haves or "would like to haves" in a home.
From seasoned home buyers, things become a lot more clearer once you decide on a realtor you'd like to use. Your realtor can help guide you through the whole process. They will listen to your needs and even give you some suggestions to consider. They also may know lenders in the area to be able to refer you to (more on that in step 2).
Choosing a place to live can be one of the most exhilarating experiences of a lifetime! The goal for this move is definitely to improve your living situation and avoid the things you dislike! Here are some categories of things to help you narrow down your search!
Area: There's urban. suburban, semi-rural or rural. Consider population of the area you are considering, like is it densely populated? Is the population growing, or is it an aging community and on the decline?
Land features: What natural things are you looking for? Woods? Hills? Streams and ponds? A water view? Mountain views?
Commute: How do you get to your employment? Do you need walking distance to your job, or close to things like public transit? How long are you willing to drive to your job each day?
Shopping: Do you need to be close to shopping? Do you like being close to things to do, or are you okay with driving a bit to get to the nearest mall? Imagine a list of the typical stops you make in a week, and how close/far would those things be from your new location.
Schools: If you have kids, how are the public schools? Or does it not matter because your kids attend private schools? What's the commute time to those schools? Check out our Schools Page for some sites to check out the local schools. You can also visit the Anne Arundel County School page for links to the individual schools.
Things to do: What kinds of things does your family like to do? Do you need to live near outdoor recreation facilities? What about things like music venues, museums and an active nightlife? Would you like to take a stroll in a park daily? In Annapolis, check out our Events, Festivals, and Places to visit pages for ideas of what may be available in your area.
Once you've made the decision to buy, there are a few things you'll need. I'm sure you've already seen some of the homes for sale, so in your mind you have a list of your must haves or "would like to haves" in a home.
From seasoned home buyers, things become a lot more clearer once you decide on a realtor you'd like to use. Your realtor can help guide you through the whole process. They will listen to your needs and even give you some suggestions to consider. They also may know lenders in the area to be able to refer you to (more on that in step 2).
Choosing a place to live can be one of the most exhilarating experiences of a lifetime! The goal for this move is definitely to improve your living situation and avoid the things you dislike! Here are some categories of things to help you narrow down your search!
Area: There's urban. suburban, semi-rural or rural. Consider population of the area you are considering, like is it densely populated? Is the population growing, or is it an aging community and on the decline?
Land features: What natural things are you looking for? Woods? Hills? Streams and ponds? A water view? Mountain views?
Commute: How do you get to your employment? Do you need walking distance to your job, or close to things like public transit? How long are you willing to drive to your job each day?
Shopping: Do you need to be close to shopping? Do you like being close to things to do, or are you okay with driving a bit to get to the nearest mall? Imagine a list of the typical stops you make in a week, and how close/far would those things be from your new location.
Schools: If you have kids, how are the public schools? Or does it not matter because your kids attend private schools? What's the commute time to those schools? Check out our Schools Page for some sites to check out the local schools. You can also visit the Anne Arundel County School page for links to the individual schools.
Things to do: What kinds of things does your family like to do? Do you need to live near outdoor recreation facilities? What about things like music venues, museums and an active nightlife? Would you like to take a stroll in a park daily? In Annapolis, check out our Events, Festivals, and Places to visit pages for ideas of what may be available in your area.
