As the new year begins, many of us are already chipping away studiously at our freshly set goals. Living a healthier lifestyle often tops the list alongside bigger life transformations like new jobs and new homes. If a new home is on the horizon for you, it’s a time full of equal parts excitement and overwhelm, often with a dose of frustration, too, as the process drags out or you struggle to find something that ticks all your boxes. And while we can’t wave a wand and direct you straight to your dream home, we’re sharing our magic formula that will lead you there sooner and remove a few bumps along the way.
Firstly, define your dream
The first step towards making your dream home a reality is to clearly establish what it looks like. List your top priorities, such as location, the type of home, and any must-haves and nice-to-haves. A clear understanding of your priorities narrows the search and helps when weighing up your options in the latter stages. It might make all the difference in your final decision.
- Location, location, location!:
Location is typically one of the most important considerations for home hunters, with proximity to key amenities like public transport, work, and schools forming the basis of our priorities. The location also includes a sense of safety and security and covers more personal aspirations, such as a swimmable beach or golf course nearby. Another aspect for consideration is the potential for property value growth over time. While you might not be buying with plans to sell, researching the area’s pricing history and any future development plans – like road or amenity upgrades – could signal the area is set to increase in value over time, making a smart investment and dream home in one.
- A home to fit your lifestyle
The type of home you are looking for is also incredibly important; ideally, it should fit with your lifestyle now and into the future. Think about factors like ongoing maintenance, adequate space, functionality, and the home’s ability to maintain or increase in value over time. Whether that’s a house, apartment, townhouse, or something else that can be adapted as your life stage changes, ensure you’re future proofing your decision to a degree. For example, if you’re a growing family, a two-bedroom, centrally located apartment might be great now, but a stand-alone home or more spacious townhouse will likely be a smarter choice in a few years.
- List your must-haves:
Listing out your top property must-haves is vital to finding your dream home. For example, the number of bedrooms, a garage, outdoor living space, open plan living, a home office, the number of bathrooms, and any must-have kitchen features like an island or walk-in pantry. Consider every little detail, as it’ll help you get closer to finding a home that really is your dream home. And don’t forget, minor renovations are always an option too.
- The nice-to-haves
These are features that would be great but aren’t dealbreakers. They can include things like a swimming pool, a walk-in pantry or walk-in wardrobe, front or backyard space, or anything that would be a real bonus. Include as much detail in this list as possible – be ambitious, be optimistic, and you never know what you might find!
- Get honest with your budget
The best way to define your budget is to get lender pre-approval on your home loan. Once you have this magic number, you can narrow your search to explore realistic options and minimise the time and energy spent daydreaming about options you can’t afford. Pre-approval will make the buying process smoother and quicker, helping you land on the perfect property.
- Do your homework… research the market
Understanding the property market and its many ebbs and flows is crucial in finding your dream home long before you hit the open home trail. Prices can fluctuate due to interest rate changes, inflation, and demand. Research different neighbourhoods, look at average house prices and dig further into historical trends. Seek out information online, by talking to agents at open homes or spend time in the area to get a real feel for it – perhaps even get right amongst it by trying before you buy.
- Put on your inspector hat!
Just like online dating profiles, online home listings aren’t always what they seem! Put your inspector hat on and tour as many homes as possible to get an unbiased view of what’s on the market and what things are selling for. It’ll allow you to pick up on things like how much sun the home gets, whether it’s the worst house on the best street (or the opposite), the flow of the living spaces and any structural issues – all of which you’re unlikely to pick up from a few photos. Take your photos and videos to jog your memory of the homes you’ve visited.
- Dream homes can be made
If finding a home that meets your extensive must-haves list within your budget is a challenge, remember that dream homes can be made over time. Instead of seeking out this unicorn of a home, look for a solid starting point with the view to renovate and create the home of your dreams as you build equity. Keep in mind that there are plenty of quick, easy, and relatively affordable improvements you can make to a home that instantly make it more liveable while improving its value, too.
Work with a local real estate agent
Working with a local real estate agent offers several unique advantages. Local agents have deep insights and understanding into the area’s nuances, which non-local agents simply cannot provide. However, not all local agents are created equal. With a First National Real Estate agent, you get the best of both worlds: local expertise backed by a national and international network alongside:
- Access to advanced digital tools, Your Patch and Hyperlocal, to streamline your search and lighten the administrative load.
- Local community insight to help understand the vibe of the community and leverage connections. From schools to social hubs and hidden gems, they’ve got the local low-down and might even know of the perfect property about to come up for sale.
- Guidance and stress-free navigation of the legal and administrative complexities from an expert. There are zoning laws, government incentives like the First Homeowner Grant, and building restrictions to consider.
Find your dream home the easy way
Finding your dream home doesn’t need to be a convoluted process or something out of reach. By following these simple steps, you’ll be armed with the right information to get there sooner and with less stress. It also helps to lean on experts in the field like your local First National Real Estate team – they’ll be with you every step of the way, offering invaluable local insights and guidance across all aspects of your search and purchase so that you can not only find your key to happiness but do so without the stress and hassle of doing it on your own.