Climbing up the Property Ladder: Top Tips to Help You Find Your Next Home
Has the concept of moving homes crossed your mind once or twice? Have you been looking around your current home and have a growing urge for change? If so, it might be time that you look into packing up your belongings and moving to a new home.
Moving home is an exciting prospect. Every homeowner looking to move will have their reasons for the move, each one varying from needing more space to downsizing their current space. Whatever a person’s reason for moving is, undergoing the process of selling one property to buy the next can undoubtedly be a stressful occasion. However, it is worth it when they get to move up the property ladder.
Of course, climbing the property ladder is an exciting time for any homeowner. Signifying new beginnings and embracing a wave of new opportunities, it is understandable that you want to ensure that you are investing in the right property. To help you get started and move one step up the ladder, keep reading to find a few top tips to help you find your next home.
Organize Your Finances
Before you even begin the search for your dream home, consider getting your finances in order. As you may remember from purchasing your first home, getting your finances in order was one of the first steps in the process to complete.
When preparing to find your second home, ensuring that you have your finances in order will help you with the next steps of looking for a property.
For instance, when your finances are in order, you will be able to see how much you can afford. This will help you to narrow down your search and build a list of properties and areas that are within your budget.
It helps you to save time and avoid the heartbreak of finding a property that you love but are unable to afford. As soon as you can, set aside some time to organize your finances to see what your budget is to help you find your next home and climb the property ladder.
Research Ideal Locations
As mentioned, when you know what you can afford, you can narrow down your list of potential locations. Of course, the excitement surrounding the possibility of moving might have tempted you into searching for potential locations to consider. With this search, you might have accumulated a selection of areas that stand out to you the most for particular reasons.
However, knowing how much you can afford has its pros and cons. The pro is that you can see the locations that are within your price range, and the cons can be that some of your ideal locations exceed this budget.
With your newly updated list of locations in your price range, spend some time researching each of the areas. Look for crime rates, popularity and if there are any budding industries. Growing industries in a particular state or city signify that there could potentially be plenty of job opportunities becoming available – something ideal for those looking to excel in their career. This extensive search can help to provide you with a list of ideal locations in your budget.
Consider Work Commute
Now with your newly updated list of potential locations, the next step is considering the commute to work. Of course, this applies to those that have to commute to work. Those with the luxury of working from home can have a little more flexibility with location, as taking into account commute time is not applicable.
However, if you have plans to change jobs in the future, then thinking about the work commute is a must, especially as your new position could involve being in a physical office instead of working remotely.
Look into commute times of getting into the metropolitan areas, and see how long it will take you to get to your work every working day. Additionally, if you do not drive, then finding properties with strong transportation links will be a top priority. Whilst a house somewhere in a more remote and quiet location sounds ideal, it might not be practical, especially if you do not drive or have limited transportation links nearby.
Work With Real Estate Agents
One of the more exciting elements about finding your next home is looking through the selection of properties on the market. For each one you find, you might spend some time envisioning yourself living in the property and how you would decorate it to make it feel like your home. You might choose to drive around your desired areas and see if there are any properties with sale signs outside, or, the more common route, you may spend an hour or two searching for houses online.
While engaging with a real estate agent streamlines the process, inquire about their experience and expertise in handling DVC properties, including their knowledge of the typical timeline for DVC resales, ensuring a smoother transition in selling or purchasing within this unique market.
Whilst this is one way to find a selection of properties you are interested in, another is working with real estate agents. Working with a real estate agent provides you with a greater selection of homes for sale and potential properties for you to visit. Additionally, if you are moving to a new area, working with a real estate agent that is local can be greatly beneficial.
For instance, if you were searching for real estate in Greenville, you could partner with EZ Home Search. Their experts can provide you with in-depth insight into the area and ideal places that suit your style and budget. Working with a real estate agent can work in your favor and should be something worth considering.
Think About the Future
Everyone has their personal reasons for moving. Some might feel they have outgrown their current space, while others feel they are ready to live somewhere new. Others might want to move to be closer to their new jobs, and some are looking to start a family and so need more space. Whichever your reason, it is likely that you will be living in the property for the foreseeable future. As such, you should consider what your future might look like.
As touched on, your reasons for moving to a new home is because you are looking to start a family. If this is the case, you will want to find a place that will accommodate a growing family and the amount of items that will be stored there. Not only this, as the children get older, you have to think about if the area is a family-friendly neighborhood, with good schools and after school activities that they could participate in. Thinking about your future could help you with making your final decisions about some of your property choices and their locations.
Getting Ready to Move
Taking into consideration all aspects of moving somewhere new might sound time-consuming. However, the extra care and attention that went into planning where your new space will be worthwhile in the end. It will help you to have selected the ideal house to help you move up the property ladder and make new memories in this new environment.
With the location sorted, paperwork completed, and keys exchanged, the time has come to say goodbye to your old house and into your new home. After implementing the ultimate packing system to help with the transition, you will be one step closer to starting the next chapter of your life in your new home.
