Be Realistic About Your Desired Features

As you explore available listings and choose which houses to visit and in what sequence, you may find it helpful to bucket aspects into several categories and priority levels. Here's a fantastic technique to get your mind going on it:

• Must-Haves – If a house doesn’t have these features, it won’t work for you and your lifestyle.
• Nice-To-Haves – These are features you’d love to have but can live without. Nice-to-haves aren’t dealbreakers, but if the home hits all the must-haves and some of these items too, it’s a contender.
• Dream State – This is where you can dream bigger. Again, these aren’t features you’ll need, but if you find a home in your budget that has all the must-haves, most of the nice-to-haves, and any of these, it’s a clear winner.

Share these details with your real estate agent when you begin the house-buying process so that you are on the same page right away and understand where to concentrate your home search.
Realtor.com's Chief Economist, Danielle Hale, provides the following explanation:

“Focus on the goal you set out for yourself, like your list of must-haves and nice-to-haves and your budget, . . . Stick to that. Be persistent.”

Bottom Line
As a first-time buyer, it’s especially important to carefully consider what’s truly essential to your lifestyle. Your first home doesn't have to be your forever home. The most important thing is taking the first step toward building a brighter, more stable financial future. Let’s connect so you can achieve that dream.