16 Morrill Dr, Wayland, MA 01778
Single-Family
$872,500
Price
$850,000
Sale Price
Buying a home is a process that can seem daunting and even a little scary to most first-time buyers. After all, being a homeowner is a huge financial and personal responsibility.
To make this lengthy process a bit more approachable, we’re going to break it down into five steps. While these five steps may be somewhat different for each person, depending on their own unique situation, they do comprise most home buyer’s experience.
If you’re interested in learning the steps you’ll need to take before owning your first home, read on.
Step 1: Know your long-term goals
Before you buy a home, you’ll want to have a clear understanding of what you, your spouse, and your family want from the next five or more years. You’ll want to make sure the area you’re moving to can provide things like career advancement and opportunity, good schools for your children, and so on.
These questions may seem obvious, but it’s an important conversation to have before making the long-term commitment of owning a home.
Step 2: Your budget and your needs
It might be tempting to hop online and start shopping for houses, but first you should get a clear idea of the size and cost of the house you’re looking for. This involves determining your budget, thinking about your credit and planning for your down payment.
Step 3: Mortgage pre-approval
Getting preapproved for a mortgage can be a great way to gauge the interest late and loan amount you’ll be approved for. You’ll need to gather paperwork, including income information (pay stubs), tax returns, and W-2 forms.
Be aware that lenders will run a detailed credit report. Since credit reports count as an inquiry, they can temporarily lower your credit score by a few points.
Applying to several lenders within a short period of time can make a significant impact on your score. However, it will start to rise again within a few months if you don’t open any new credit accounts or take out other loans.
Step 4: Get an agent
Real estate agents know the ins and outs of the home buying process better than anyone else. They’ll be able to guide you through the process and provide you with information that you can’t get anywhere else.
Step 5: Pick the right home for you
Now it’s time to start home shopping. However, before you begin, remember that getting approved for a loan doesn’t mean you must or should seek to spend the full amount on a home.
Plan for your needs, and keep the future in mind. Someday you might decide to upgrade, but in the meantime you can be building your credit and building equity in a smaller or more frugal home.
Completing a successful homebuying journey may be difficult, especially for those who do not plan ahead. In fact, high-pressure situations may arise that lead you to make rash homebuying decisions. And if you make the wrong choices, you risk paying an exorbitant price to acquire your dream residence.
There is no reason to let high-pressure situations cause you to make poor decisions throughout the homebuying journey. Now, let's take a look at three tips to help you map out your homebuying journey so you know exactly how to handle any high-pressure situations that come your way.
1. Maintain Flexibility
A high-pressure homebuying situation may make you feel like you are backed into a corner. However, it is important to remember that options are always available. And if you take a deep breath and step back and review a high-pressure homebuying situation closely, you can determine the best course of action.
Those who maintain flexibility as they try to acquire their dream home may be better equipped than others to handle high-pressure homebuying situations. Because if you maintain flexibility throughout the homebuying journey, you can take an objective view of the options at your disposal and proceed accordingly.
2. Establish a Budget
A budget generally is helpful, particularly for those who want to acquire a terrific home as quickly as possible. If you have a budget in hand, you'll know exactly how much you can spend on a home. Then, if you face pressure to increase your offer to purchase your dream residence, you'll know whether you have the financing available to do so.
Keep in mind that the costs associated with purchasing a home extend beyond the price of a house itself, too. As you establish a budget, you'll need to account for closing, appraisal and inspection expenses and various other fees in addition to the cost of a house itself.
3. Work with a Real Estate Agent
A real estate agent can take the guesswork out of buying a house. He or she also will go above and beyond the call of duty to alleviate stress and ensure you can proceed with confidence as you pursue your ideal residence.
Let's not forget about the guidance that a real estate agent provides when you're ready to submit an offer to purchase your dream home, either. At this point, a real estate agent will help you craft a competitive offer to purchase your ideal house. He or she next will submit this offer to a seller on your behalf and negotiate with the seller as needed. If you and a seller come to terms on a home purchase agreement, a real estate agent will help you close on your dream home as well.
For those who want to simplify the homebuying journey, it helps to prepare. Thanks to the aforementioned tips, you can get ready for high-pressure homebuying situations and speed up the process of acquiring your dream residence.
You honestly may not get the chance to deep clean your home very often. When you do clean your house, there are a few places that are harboring many germs that are easily overlooked. Below, you’ll find some of the dirtiest areas in your home that need to be scrubbed well.
Handles And Knobs In The Kitchen
You’re handling everything in the kitchen from dirty dishes to raw meat. After touching these items, you’re grabbing drawers, refrigerator door handles, oven doors, and more. All of the bacteria that is on your hands is transferred to these items. You should scrub these areas down on a weekly basis with a simple vinegar and water solution.
Your Computer And Accessories
If you’re like most people, you spend a lot of time at your computer. You eat drink, talk on the phone, and everything else right in front of your computer. It’s a good idea to rid the bacteria that are collected all over your computer and accessories. You can detach the attachments from your computer a dab them with a mild soapy water solution, or just wipe them down with a pre-moistened anti-bacterial cloth.
The Toothbrush Holder
You use your toothbrush to clean your teeth, but do you ever clean the place where it sits? You can quickly place your toothbrush holder in the dishwasher once a week, or sterilize it with hot water and soap. As a bonus, you should clean your toothbrushes by boiling them in water for a few minutes.
The Handrails And Doorknobs
Everyone uses the railings on the stairways, but it’s a good bet that no one cleans them very often. You can use a simple hot water and vinegar solution to scrub railings and doorknobs down. Wipe them dry, and they’ll be as good as new with less germs.
The Light Switches
As you go in and out of rooms, you probably don’t think of cleaning off the light switch panel. Germs are easily spread there as people go in and out, turning a light on just to wash their hands. Vinegar and hot water will do the trick here as well. Just wipe switches down with a cloth soaked in the solution and pat dry.
The Sinks
While you may wipe down around your sink often, the faucet and surrounding areas may need a little love. Faucet handles should be scrubbed on a daily basis with hot soapy water. As a bonus, if you want to make your sink shine, create a paste with vinegar and baking soda. Once you scrub it on the faucet, rinse off for a fantastic shine.