Maybe you’ve spent months combing through listings and attending in-person and virtual open-houses, and you still haven’t found your dream home. It can be frustrating, but it’s also a natural part of the house-hunting process for many buyers. If you don’t have a hard deadline and you have the luxury of shopping around, it can take a while to find a home that’s the perfect fit. Here are a few ideas that will better your chances of finding the dream home you’re looking for:

Know Your Must-Haves

It’s important to know your must-haves (and your don’t-wants). Especially if you’re buying with a partner, working through these together will help ensure that you’re on the same page and allow you to better focus your search efforts. You’ll also want to hold these wants and against your desired timeframe. If you’re really hoping to move by summer, for example, you might need to shorten your must-have list down to the things that you really must have.

Refine Your Parameters

If you’ve been putting in the effort but just aren’t finding that home, what deal breakers are you running into? By paying attention to the things you don’t like that are ruling out different properties for you, you can start to better understand your process. Buying a home is a big decision, so you certainly don’t want to cut corners and settle for something you’re not happy with. But on the flip side, it’s important to check in and make sure you’re not eliminating potentially great homes because of small details that could be easily tweaked down the line.

Be Consistent

Try not to get discouraged. After a couple of months of searching, that excitement can start to wear off. Though you might be sick of browsing listings, don’t give up. By staying consistent in your search and in frequent contact with your Realtor, you’ll be more likely to spot that perfect home right when it comes on the market, giving you a better chance of snapping it up.

Get Pre-Approved

Another proactive step you can take if you haven’t already, is to get pre-approved for a mortgage. This way, when you do find your dream home, you’ll be prepared to make a strong offer and you’ll have your pre-approval letter to back that up and show the sellers that you’re serious. Even if you haven’t found a home you’re ready to make an offer on, getting preapproved is a great step to take while you’re waiting.

 

If you can afford to wait, taking the time to find the perfect home is always best. These ideas should help you get there a little sooner.

 

If you’d like to get pre-approved for a mortgage, you can do that here. I’d also be happy to recommend some experienced, local Realtors to help you in the homebuying process. Just reach out to me — you can find all of my contact information at https://www.teamhalbert.com/