7 Mistakes People Make When Buying a House

derrick .smith
4 min readOct 6, 2020

Imagine this: you saw a house you loved, but someone told you not to show interest at all. These are some of the buying tips that you learned on your own. After two weeks, you went again to the house (this time with a promise to yourself that you’ll buy the house) only to find out that it has been sold out. Dejected, you replay the timeline in your head to figure out what exactly went wrong and how the amazing house slipped away from your hand.

You made some mistakes even you’re not aware of. In this article, we have got you covered. We’ll share common mistakes that buyers make to help you avoid them. Have a look:

Mistakes People Make When Buying a House

1. Not Looking at the Actual Quality of the House

It is in our nature to get impressed by all things flashy and glamorous. When we go out to see different houses, we are naturally inclined to houses that are beautiful from the outside. This is where we are making a huge mistake.

Real estate agents will advise you to always look for the actual quality of the house. You can make a house as modern-looking as possible, but if it has other issues — for example, it is not located at a prime location — it will not be valuable for you in the long-run.

2. Not Putting Down a Larger Down Payment

Many people go for institutions that don’t have the requirement for a large down payment. While this looks like a financially viable option, it has more disadvantages for the buyer. When you make a larger down payment in a house, you have bigger ownership of the house. It also tells that you have some personal stake in the house — since your money is involved in it. On the other hand, you will have to pay a smaller sum of monthly installments. Many buyers commit this mistake of not putting down a larger down payment — make sure you don’t repeat it!

3. Negotiating Every House Price

Sellers have different methods up their sleeves to get a good price on their house. Just as you — as a buyer — are in search of a perfect house with a decent price, the seller is also looking for a good price for their asset. Most of the time sellers look for multiple offers to sell it to the highest bidder. Many buyers lose the house simply because they give a lower bid.

4. Not Thinking about Resale Value

Your house is your asset. When you’re investing in a house, you have to see how much your house will appreciate in value. Your house location is a big factor that plays an important role in your house’s appreciation. When you are buying a house, it is important that you choose the best location which is near schools, workplaces, and some recreational spots. A house at a good location will definitely get a good price after several years. A mistake that new buyers make is that they don’t consider the resale factor. While you won’t sell your house after a couple of years, it is still important to go with the property that may get you a good price after a long period.

5. Skipping the Qualification of Mortgage

How are you going to pay for your house? For people who will buy the house on mortgage must have the answer to our following question: do you qualify for the mortgage? Financial institutions have been quite strict when it comes to mortgages. Before you even start looking for a house, you should pay a visit to your bank or other financial institution to find out whether you qualify for the mortgage. You current credit history, income, and your monthly debt obligations, etc play an important role in determining whether you qualify for the mortgage.

6. Not Defining a Budget

What’s the point of going from door to door in search of a perfect house only to find that the quoted price is way out of your budget? By deciding on your budget, you will save your time and invest in the property that doesn’t add to your financial woes.

7. Looking at a Specific Style

It is true that you may have some preferences for your home sweet home, but there is nothing wrong in expanding your search. Any house can be ‘perfect’ if it meets your requirement. So, you should give a chance to different styles of houses and see which one can be the best for you.

The Final Word

Have you ever made any of the mistakes listed above? We’re all guilty of making ’em. The next time you’re searching for the perfect home for your family, ensure that you don’t commit any of these mistakes. Get a house at a prime location so that you can get a good amount of money in case you sell them!

Originally published at https://theenterprisegroupllc.com on October 6, 2020.

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