When you are looking for a new home during the winter months, this can prove to be even more of a challenge due to a variety of reasons, whether it is busy holiday schedules, crazy work deadlines, or inclement weather. Potential buyers who are looking to purchase in the winter can easily make mistakes along the way.
Regardless of which season we are in, shopping for a home is never going to be an easy process and is something that takes a lot of time, effort, and patience. When you are looking for a new home for you and your family, it is important that you do not rush the process, as it is a long-term commitment, and you want to make sure you are covering all your bases before officially making the purchase.
Here are some of the most common mistakes that you should aim to avoid:
Getting yourself into holiday debt.
With all the purchases made during the holiday season, especially if you have children, it can be difficult to budget appropriately when it comes to purchasing a new home. Even if you have credit that is in good standing, getting yourself into holiday debt will greatly affect your ability to purchase a home, as it will change your debt-to-income ratio overall. Make sure that if you are shopping for a new home, you are assessing your finances ahead of time to avoid getting yourself into holiday debt and potentially ruining your chances for your pre-approval.
Not expecting delays.
This goes for any time of year since delays are common and can happen for many different reasons, but especially during the winter months, expect delays to occur. When you are buying a home in the winter, there are even more variables that might affect your timeline, such as vacations during the holidays, or weather. Remember to be as patient and flexible as you possibly can be throughout the process, which will help you to avoid becoming overly stressed!
Being impulsive.
Explore all your options! Make sure that you take the time to shop around and really get a good look at what all your options are in the area that you are interested in. While the winter season can be slower in the real estate market, there are still plenty of options to consider depending on what you are looking for and what your budget is. Do not make any impulsive decisions that you might regret down the line.
Poor negotiations.
It is often said that sellers during the winter season may be more desperate to get their house off the market and make the sale. Because of this, people tend to negotiate a little extra during these months. While in many cases this might be true, it is not always the case, so you want to ensure that you do not take your negotiations too far. For example, lowballing a seller may end up offending them, which could jeopardize your chances of purchasing the home completely. Make sure that as you are negotiating and making an offer, you are being fair and respectable.
Overlooking a home based on curb appeal.
With so much snow on the ground during the winter months, it can end up covering certain aspects of a home that you would normally want to get a clearer look at. While there are likely many photos of the home’s exterior and interior online, you may be required to use your imagination in person, especially if you are visiting the home in dreary weather, or when there is a lot of snow and dirt surrounding it.
Avoid common pitfalls and find your dream home on our Buy page.