This post is brought to you by Taylor Morrison.
As the many television programs on the subject attest, house hunting is a skill that many could use but not everyone possesses. When you need to find yourself a new home to live in, being able to get a good price on something that suits your needs is crucial to keeping your family in good shape. Here are a few tips to get you started.
Know Your Requirements
Finding your perfect home is a matter of figuring out what exactly you want out of the purchase. A parent is naturally going to need to know more about child-related infrastructure in the area than a childless purchaser, and research on which local schools are the best and which neighborhoods are safe will help a lot. As to the house itself, make sure you have enough space for every member of your household, but think twice about buying larger or more luxurious than needed. Frills like swimming pools are nice in theory, but less nice when it comes time to pay the bill.
Find Reputable Sources of Information
Once you know what you are looking for, it’s time to start getting information on places around you where you might want to live. You can start with reputable websites for people looking for homes. They will walk you through the process of getting a place to live, from finding the house to getting your finances in order to eventually selling, if you decide to move on. Beyond tutorials on the process, web sites can also help you locate homes for sale and give you important information on local prices and demographics.
Check the Neighborhood
Image via Flickr by cwwycoff1
While the web is a great place to find all kinds of information, nothing can really replace the experience of physically inspecting the area yourself. As a single parent, you’ll want to see how safe the neighborhood is at various times of day, from the afternoons when your kids will be walking home to the evenings when they may be out playing. You can also see how close it is to a school in more real terms than just a number on a computer screen and check the physical condition of businesses and institutions in the area.
Get a Good Loan
After you’ve picked out a likely location and made your decision, it is time to get your financials together and make an offer. Getting a good loan starts far in advance of the actual purchase, with you maintaining a good credit rating to ensure that you can get the best rates. After that, start researching different lenders to find the best loan provider for your needs. Think about how you want the loan term to be and how much money you can put up front; as a general rule, shorter term loans and larger down payments will get you better terms.
Every family needs a home, however many parents the household has. Spending time learning how to house hunt more effectively will help you find one that works for you.
