Written By Mary Rose Borca, Edited By Jekelyn Nisola

Buying or building your first-ever home is such an exciting feeling. However, there are tons of things you should know before buying a house whether you’re a first-time homebuyer or you’re reselling your first home.

1. It takes time to build a house.

Most of the time, building a house takes months or even years before it gets completed. Sometimes you might feel like it’s taking forever; be patient because it’s worth the wait.

2. There’s a lot of papers to sign.

It’s normal to sign a bunch of documents before closing the deal, even though it might feel like you’re signing thousands of papers. And that doesn’t end there, upon the completion of your house, there’s another pile of paperwork to complete.

3. You must hire an agent.

If you need assistance in buying a house or building it on your own, then you must hire a real estate broker/agent to help you through the process. Your broker/agent will negotiate the best possible price for your house and they’re highly skilled at it. Push for the price you want.

4. Buy a home you can really afford.

Before aiming at your dream house, you must know if you can afford it. Some homebuyers are anxiously anticipating the things they could put in the house but forgetting the often neglected expenses when investing in real estate.

5. Talk to the seller.

Don’t forget to talk with the seller who knows everything about the property and its neighborhood. Ask for more information such as the necessary renovations the seller did to increase the value of the property.

6. Before buying, you must hire a contractor.

Hire an inspector or contractor to make sure there are no problems with the house you’re about to buy. If repairs are needed, the inspector can give you a cost estimate.

7. Don’t be afraid to walk away from the deal.

If you realized that the house you’re about to buy was not your dream house, then don’t be afraid to walk away. A trick of the trade: Sometimes, walking away is the best way to prompt the seller to agree to your conditions or to address your doubts.

8. Before you decorate, wait for your house to be done.

It’s very tempting to jump into your new house and start decorating it. Wait for the time when your house is ready to be decorated to avoid various design disasters.

9. Save money for future repairs and renovations.

Buying a house is very expensive, but you also have to save money for some unexpected repairs and renovations. In doing so, you have to give up some of your lavish lifestyle choices for a while.

10. Stay for several years.

With all the costs associated with the building of your dream house,  enjoy your stay in it for several years before jumping into another house. If you plan to sell it, your prospective buyers will definitely ask how many years you have lived in your house.

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