Top House Hunting Mistakes

There's a lot riding on the line when you're shopping for a new home. Buying a house is a huge investment—likely one of the biggest (if not the biggest) that you will ever make. You need to be able to accurately understand your current needs and anticipate your future ones, and you need to find a house that fits the bill in terms of not just looks but size, location, price, and more.  It's no wonder then that house hunting can take anywhere from 6 weeks to 6 months. With so much at stake, it's not a process that you can simply wing and hope for the best.

Not Getting Pre-Approved 

There is a little known fact that what the bank says you can afford and what you KNOW you can afford, may not be the same. Conversely, what you think you can afford and what the bank is actually willing to lend you may be drastically different. It’s best to make sure you are pre-approved for a loan before starting your home search process. We work with a number of FANTASTIC lenders in the KC Metro area who would be more than willing to talk you through the process and get the ball rolling. You can find a list of our approved lenders here.

Not Knowing What You Can Afford 

Once you have fallen in love with a specific home, it’s hard to go back. You start thinking about how wonderful your life would be in this home, however, if you won’t be able to afford the home, you are only hurting yourself. We recommend starting at the low end of your price range. If you can find what you are looking for at the lower price range, there is no reason to go higher!

Not Working with an Agent 

While home search websites are a great way to start your search, those sites only begin to scratch the surface of the knowledge and expertise a top-knot agent brings to the table. Look for agents that provide you with objective advice, rather than sales pitches. Think of an agent as a consultant. They are there to find you the home that fits your wants, needs, and your budget.

Not Setting Up E-Alerts for New Listings

In today’s market, most homes are flying off the market (some in less than 24 hours for more than asking price). By setting up an e-alert for the type of home, price, and neighborhood you are looking to purchase in, you will get an email as soon as a new listing hits the MLS. You can set up an e-alert by doing the following:

1. Visit askcathy.com and login to your account 
2. Start a new search in the neighborhood by selecting “Search By” and select “Neighborhood” 
3. Type in the neighborhood in the search bar and hit “enter” 
4. Hit “Save This Search” 

Boom! Done! It is that easy! You will now get email alerts when properties come on the market in the neighborhood you are looking to move to. Looking in more than one area or by a specific school? No problem! There are numerous ways to search and set up e-alerts. If you are wanting to set up a custom search and having trouble, shoot us a message using the chat feature on this page. 

Key Takeaways

Set yourself up for success by hiring an Ask Cathy Marketing Group agent. Our team is here to guide you through the home buying process from start to finish while working with you to find the home that fits your wants, needs, and budget.