Don't Sweat the Small Stuff When Home Shopping

Home shopping can be a fun but stressful experience. Unfortunately, the fun level can go down and the stress level go up when you focus too much on finding your perfect home. Instead of becoming obsessed with finding your perfect home, it is important to understand what things you can ignore when home shopping.

The Paint or Wallpaper

Yes, it can be hard to not focus on the hideous wallpaper in the master bedroom or to not get distracted by the bright orange walls in the bathroom, but ultimately, these things can be changed. Wallpaper can be torn down. Walls can be painted. If worst comes to worst, you can repaint every room in your home.

As you enter a room, instead of focusing on the paint color or the room's wallpaper, focus on the actual space. Determine if the room fits your family's needs. When it comes to bedrooms, focus on things such as closet space and whether your bed will fit comfortably in the space. With bathrooms, having enough bathrooms to accommodate your family's morning routine is a lot more important than bathroom walls that are the perfect color. If your family eats dinner together, an adequately sized dining space is more important than the color of the walls.  

The Flooring

This can be a little more expensive of a fix depending upon the condition of the floors, but flooring can also be replaced, especially if it's only a problem in one or two rooms. With hardwood floors, the fix might be as simple as refinishing them. In some homes, carpeting can be torn-up to reveal great hardwood floors. Even if the flooring is a problem throughout the house, you can start small, replacing it one room at a time, especially if the home is significantly below your budget.

If the floors are only a problem in one or two rooms, you can likely replace the flooring for not too much money. In some cases, you might be able to cover-up the problem until it can be resolved. For example, a strategically placed rug can hide scuffed-up wood in the entryway or chipped tile in the bathroom. Placing your couch over the weird stain in the living can hide it until you get around to replacing the carpeting.  

The Landscaping

Some homes just don't have the curb appeal that you are seeking. Don't let that deter you from buying the home if you love the interior. Instead of getting too hung up on the home's current landscaping, look for the home's potential. Some questions that you may want to ask yourself include:

• Is the yard big enough?
• Are there any outdoor features that I would need to remove or fix to make this yard safe?
• Am I willing to put forth the work to make this yard what I want it to be?
• Is the yard properly fenced in? If not, do I need to put in a fence or repair the current fence?

While it may require pulling up some weeds, getting out the lawn mower, and finding those outdoor clippers you misplaced, you can make a less-than-perfect yard into something great. Even simple changes, such as planting flowers, trimming the trees, or mowing the lawn, might make all the difference.

If you don't want to handle your yard care yourself, this gives you a great opportunity to get to know your neighbors. They may have a teenager who's willing to mow your lawn. Maybe, one of your neighbors knows a great lawn care service or has some great lawn care tips. 

Personal Items/Decor

When looking at a home, it is important to remember that the current occupant's personal items will not be staying. While these items can give you a better feel for the home's overall space, don't allow the weird paintings on the wall or the oddly positioned furniture distract you from the home's potential. Remember, once you buy the home, you can set it up the way you would like.

These are just a few of the things that you should not allow to bother you when home shopping. When trying to decide on a home, focus on the things that cannot be changed or that will be expensive to change rather than allowing yourself to become too obsessed with the things that are easy fixes.

If you're serious about getting started in your journey to homeownership, give us a call at 877-255-3554 or visit us online and start your pre-qualification application.