{"id":330,"date":"2022-06-30T15:25:37","date_gmt":"2022-06-30T15:25:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/grandhomesblog.com\/?p=330"},"modified":"2022-06-30T15:25:37","modified_gmt":"2022-06-30T15:25:37","slug":"3-super-easy-steps-to-make-house-hunting-easier","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.grandhomes.com\/blog\/2022\/06\/30\/3-super-easy-steps-to-make-house-hunting-easier\/","title":{"rendered":"3 Super Easy Steps to Make House Hunting Easier"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Searching for your dream home is a complex task. For one, no two homebuyers are the same. Everyone has different ideas about what their dream home would look like. In addition, renovated houses and newer modern homes offer many cool features prospective homeowners can enjoy. Making the best decision on your dream house requires a lot of information, and luckily we\u2019re here to provide you with some crucial tips to help your house search. So, let\u2019s begin.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Step 1: Get Pre-Approved for Your Mortgage<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Before we get into all the fun about your prospective home\u2019s features, you must consult with a lender and get a pre-approval letter. This letter lets you discuss loan options with your lender and gives you a clearer picture of your house-hunting budget and how much you can put down for a monthly mortgage.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pre-approval assesses your finances and determines your ability to pay off your mortgage according to several factors:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your debt-to-income ratio<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your loan-to-value ratio<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your credit history<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your FICO score<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your income<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your employment history<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your lender will thoroughly inspect every nook and cranny of your finances, but once this is complete, you\u2019ll be able to conduct the rest of your house hunt confidently.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Step 2: Categorize Your Wants<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here\u2019s where the fun begins. Get ready to break out those mood boards! At Grand Homes, we believe that homes should be an expression of their owners. So let your imagination run wild. However, keep your pre-approved mortgage in mind. Your budget will dictate which features are feasible and which ones aren\u2019t.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Once you\u2019ve done your research, you\u2019ll need to sort your wants into three categories: Must-haves (Needs), Nice-to-Haves (Non-Dealbreakers) &amp; Dream State (Wildcard Features). Remember that each category&#8217;s features will differ from person to person. Some examples we\u2019ve seen in past customers are:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Must-Haves:<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The number of bedrooms &amp; bathrooms<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Distance from work &amp; family<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Overall energy efficiency<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Low crime rate<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Nice-to-Haves:<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Functional, sustainable roofing<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Garage storage space<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Built-in security system<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Dream State:<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Multiple walk-in closets &amp; pantries<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Uncommon architectural styles<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Paved Patio<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Must-haves are non-negotiable, and we encourage new homebuyers to stand firm on their must-haves. Do you want a home in a good school district? Don\u2019t budge on that. Do you want your kids to have separate bedrooms for the first time? Don\u2019t budge on that. Do you want to cut your work commute in half to free up more time for your family? Don\u2019t budge. However, you must find things you\u2019re willing to compromise on, which will fall into the other categories.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Step 3: Consult with a Real Estate Advisor<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Once you have a list of wants and needs, we recommend you go over them with an experienced real estate advisor. Getting insight from an advisor will sure up any gaps in your research, and advisors are in a better position to inform you about the nuances of your particular housing market. Speaking to an advisor helps you manage your expectations, and, in rare occurrences, they can help you save big bucks on your next home purchase.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you\u2019re a prospective home buyer house hunting in the DFW metroplex, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.grandhomes.com\/index.cfm?p=contact_us\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">contact us<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> at Grand Homes today. We\u2019d be happy to help you.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><br style=\"font-weight: 400;\" \/><br style=\"font-weight: 400;\" \/><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Searching for your dream home is a complex task. For one, no two homebuyers are the same. Everyone has different ideas about what their dream&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":331,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[2],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.grandhomes.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/330"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.grandhomes.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.grandhomes.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.grandhomes.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.grandhomes.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=330"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.grandhomes.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/330\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.grandhomes.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/331"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.grandhomes.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=330"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.grandhomes.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=330"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.grandhomes.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=330"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}