4 House Hunting Mistakes To Avoid In California

Mistake: Not getting pre-approved before looking

Getting a pre-approval should be every buyer’s first step toward buying a home in California. This document, which comes in the form of a letter from the mortgage company, will tell you how much money you’ll be able to receive in a loan. It’s crucial in helping you set your own budget, as well as showing sellers that you’re serious about buying their home. You’ll include a copy of the letter with every offer you submit in order to prove you’re financially fit to purchase the property.

Mistake: Forgetting to set your own budget

While a pre-approval is a necessary tool to have, it should not be the only detail that factors into setting your house hunting budget. Remember, the pre-approval shows the maximum amount that you’ll be given in a loan. You don’t have to spend that much, though, and you probably shouldn’t. You need to make sure that you’ll be able to handle your mortgage payment on top of your other recurring monthly expenses.

Mistake: Not hiring an agent

Especially if you’re a first-time homebuyer, navigating the world of California real estate can get tricky. Though hiring an agent is an extra expense, it’s a necessary one. An agent is there to be your advocate. He or she will help guide you through the process, steer you clear of house hunting mistakes, answer any questions that you may have and negotiate on your behalf. You don’t want to go through this process without someone in your corner.

Mistake: Fixating on aesthetics

We get it: when interior design is bad, it’s really bad. It can be hard to get past having a thousand shades of paint on the walls or a kitchen that looks like it was last remodeled in the 80s. However, if you let yourself get tripped up by those small details, you could be missing out on the ideal property for you. At the end of the day, aesthetics can be fixed.

House hunting in California is tricky. Especially if you’ve never been through the home buying process before, it can be easy to make missteps or to get caught up in small details that really don’t make much difference. Hopefully we’ve shed some light on some of the more common home buying mistakes, and you will be a better house hunter as a result!