Top 10 Home Buyer Mistakes

Homeownership is one of the central tenets of contemporary life. Most of us dream of a familiar, comfortable place to call our own, and buying a home is gives us our own piece of the American Dream. But until and unless you’ve been through the process several times, there are plenty of mistakes many people make on their journey to property ownership. Here are 10 common mistakes to avoid:

1. Don’t see houses before getting pre-approved

Until you’ve met with a lender and have been pre-qualified for a mortgage, you should hold off on going to look at houses with a real estate agent, since there’s no guarantee that a mortgage company can lend you the money you need. (Unless you’re making an all cash purchase, of course.)

You might learn that you need to sell your current home to qualify for a new mortgage, and not having that home on the market will get your offer flatly rejected. Besides, sellers won’t even consider your offer if you don’t include a lender’s pre-qualification form or pre-approval letter. Bottom line is…getting pre-qualified is the first step in the home buying process, so always start there.

2. Don’t choose a home based on pressure from others

We’re all influenced by the people around us, whether it’s friends, parents, significant others, or even people on the internet. But don’t let the opinions of others guide your decision making when it comes to buying a home. Everyone has their own taste, but at the end of the day, you’re the one that will be paying, and, more importantly, (literally) living in your decision. Make an offer because you want to, not because you think it’s what someone else wants you to do.

3. Don’t get hung up on trivial cosmetic features

Real estate can be quirky, and there are plenty of aesthetic choices homeowners make that won’t work for everyone else. But if everything is great except for some cosmetic features, don’t walk away from the deal over something that can be changed later on. Location is about the only thing you can’t change about a house — everything else can be removed, remodeled, or replaced. So don’t pass up something that might be a great fit just because it happens to have an eyesore, or isn’t quite your taste.

4. Don’t get attached to properties outside your budget

It’s pretty common for home buyers to find themselves longing for that perfect house that’s usually a thousands of dollars outside their price range. Don’t let these properties get you down. If you look hard enough, there’s going to be a great option within your price range. And who knows, maybe sometime in the future, that dream house might actually be within your budget.

5. Don’t assume your offer will be accepted

Making your first offer is a big deal, and you might think that since you’re putting so much money on the line that there’s no way someone could possibly turn it down. But the reality is a little more complex. In a competitive market, sellers will often get multiple offers, or hold out for a higher price or better terms than you might be willing to accept. And there’s a good chance that if you saw something you liked about a house, another buyer might have seen the same thing too. But don’t get discouraged — negotiations are common, and, if it doesn’t work out, another house will eventually come along.

6. Don’t assume that once your offer is accepted, the deal is done

An accepted offer is an important milestone, but it doesn’t mean the deal is done. Between an accepted offer and closing, there are lots of moving parts and boxes that need to be checked: financing, inspections, appraisal, title search, seller’s circumstances — and unexpected things can happen throughout the process. While the overwhelming majority of accepted offers turn into closed deals, you should never assume that just because the buyer and seller have agreed, that the deal is finalized.

7. Don’t take out new debt before the closing

This has been the kiss of death for many real estate transactions. A buyer gets their offer accepted, starts the mortgage process, and then goes out and buys a car, or finances new furniture for their new home. Then, once the mortgage company checks the credit report before closing — as they always do — the buyer no longer qualifies for the mortgage since they now have new debt that changes their debt to income ratio.

There’s a simple solution to this potential problem…don’t do it! (In fact, here’s a list of what not to do.)

8. Don’t forget about closing costs

Many people do back-of-the-napkin calculations, or use an online calculator, to figure out how much money they’ll need to bring to closing. But it’s important to get accurate estimates from your mortgage lender, because if you don’t, you run the risk of being unpleasantly surprised, or worse, coming up short.

There are many fees associated with a real estate transaction, referred to as closing costs, and you should be aware of all of them well before the closing day. You won’t be able to get an exact amount on your closing costs until you are close to your closing day, but a good Buyers Agent and lender will give you close estimates when you make your offer.

9. Don’t mislead the lender

Most people wouldn’t do this, of course, but not only do you run the risk of not being approved for financing if you try to mislead your lender, you also might end up facing some legal issues down the road. There are some who — in an effort to get pre-qualified — might embellish, or flat-out lie on their mortgage application. Mortgage companies have rigorous screening and validation processes, and they usually uncover deception when it can’t be backed up with the proper documentation. So make sure you tell the truth, it’s the only way to go.

10. Don’t work with an agent who doesn’t care

A real estate transaction is a complicated, sometimes stressful experience that requires a knowledgeable and level-headed professional to help guide you through the process. That’s why picking the wrong agent can have devastating consequences.

Even worse than hiring an agent who doesn’t know the answers, is working with someone who doesn’t care. A great agent has empathy, and will make sure you feel good about things as you go through the process. So don’t be flippant about who you decide to work with, because the consequences are more impactful than you might think.

At the end of the day, buying a home should be an exciting and rewarding experience. Whether it’s your first or fifth purchase, you should be proud of yourself for getting there! If you’re in the market for a home, or are starting to consider it and have any questions you’d like answered, please don’t hesitate to get in touch, and let me help you avoid these common mistakes.

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