Ask a Realtor®: How to Minimize Stress When Buying a Home

Q: I want to buy a home, but the process sounds intimidating. How can I minimize the stress?

A: Buying a house DOES involve a lot of steps, people and pitfalls, yet thousands of people do it every day! A few key concepts will help you understand the process better and make things easier.

Unless you’re paying cash for the house, financing is your first step. Get a checklist of items and info you’ll need for the mortgage application from your mortgage broker. Gathering those items first will make the application a breeze once you get started.

Make a checklist of your wants, needs, and must-haves, keeping in mind that your requirements may change along the way. As you view homes and learn more about different neighborhoods, your list will narrow and become more concrete. This usually happens without you even realizing it! Give yourself enough time to let the process unfold so you feel confident about your decisions.

Once you’re in a contract, get a checklist of tasks and deadlines. It’s important that you know how and when to complete each step. Once you make an earnest money deposit you need to protect that deposit by meeting deadlines for inspections, appraisals, and loan approval.

While checklists can help with routine steps, there will be parts of the process that can’t be predicted: a home inspection could reveal defects, underwriting may ask for more documents, or an appraisal could come in low. These disruptions can send stress levels up — but there are solutions for all of them!

Assembling the right team is critical. A good mortgage broker will be someone you like and trust, and who communicates clearly whenever you need them. A good Realtor® will help you find that person, along with all the other resources you’ll need along the way.