So you’ve decided to buy a home, and you have selected one or two suitable areas in which to start your search – its that simple, isn’t it?
Not really – there’s a little more preparation that you need to do, in order to make sure that you make a good, informed decision when you find your perfect property.
Firstly – have you worked out your budget? Do you know how much you can realistically borrow and still have enough over every month to manage your loan repayment? There are many calculators available that can help you to work this out, and also help you to more accurately estimate the once-off costs that you will incur when purchasing your home.
Secondly – have you decided whether you are looking for an established property, and apartment – in the city or surrounds, or maybe a little more rural? It’s important to have a clear view on which property type you are interested in, and in which location.
Which brings us to the third and last consideration covered in this article – where is your target property located? There is lots to research here – reports on latest sales for the area, current listings for sale or rent, growth in prices over the last few years, average days on the market before selling – as well as the local amenities like shops and schools.
