Is one of your 2025 goals to buy a home?

Where to start can be a challenge. There are really 4 areas that you should consider.

Research
Start making a list of features you want in your new home. What's a must-have and what's a nice-to-have? While creating this list, understand that your home will not likely have all the features you've listed. Prioritizing those features will help you know your home when you see it. Aiming for the most important 85 or 90% of your needs will be important.

Finances
When you're ready to start your search, you need to start with a look at your finances. Do you have a lot of debt? Do you need to sell a home before you buy your next one? Do you have enough saved for a down payment? A meeting with one of my lender partners will help you answer these questions and learn how much house you can afford. Getting pre-approved should happen before you start viewing homes in person. Check out this 3 Step Process to Getting a Mortgage.

Timing
If you can afford to make a move and your life would improve as a result, then now is a good time for you to buy. The sooner you start to build equity, the sooner you'll start to build wealth. Real estate is not a get-rich-quick scheme; it's a long-term investment. You should plan to hold onto your next home for 3 to 5 years before selling. You could also consider renting it out if you need to move somewhere else sooner.

Negotiate to Win

Lean into Chris' and McEnearney's knowledge of our local real estate market. There are 5 key areas that need to be negotiated in a real estate contract. Only one of them is price. Working with Chris will connect you to the latest market information so you get the property you want at terms that work for you.

Check out Chris' Home Buying Pathway for more information.