Are you looking for a home in Corona, California? After you commit to selling your home, you need to consider where it is that you want to move. This isn’t a decision that you should make lightly. Buying a home is a larger commitment than renting, so you want to make sure that you find one that’s right for your situation. Even if you know that you’ll want to make modifications, it’s best to have a good starting point. But how do you know when you’ve found the perfect home when you’re looking into Corona homes for sale?
We’re here to guide you. Keep reading to learn all of the factors that you should take into consideration before making your decision to purchase Corona real estate.
Know Your Budget
The factor that’s often the most important when you’re trying to buy a new home is your budget. Whether you’re downsizing or looking to expand, homes aren’t cheap, and your budget often dictates the size, location, and features of your home.
There are plenty of fees that go into shopping for a new home (and selling your old one) that you need to take into consideration even before you look at the selling price. In a competitive market, homes also often sell for above their asking price, and you may need to put down a higher down payment for a mortgage.
Consider whether or not you’re going to make any renovations to your new home, and whether there’s an HOA that you’ll need to pay fees to.
There are several ways to figure out what your budget should be, so make sure this comes first when you’re trying to find your dream home.
Plan Your Wants and Needs
Different people need different homes depending on their situations. What’s yours like?
If you have a family or multiple people living in the household, you may need several bedrooms to make sure that everyone gets their own. If you work from home, you may want to have an office.
People with pets and children may be interested in having a large yard while other people may prefer minimal outdoor space to manage.
Take note of what counts as a need and what counts as a want. For example, having enough bedrooms is a need. Having a bathroom with a large clawfoot tub is most likely a want.
Make a list of these things so you know what you’re looking for. You can also use this list to help your real estate agent find you homes that are suitable for you.
Create a Vision Board
If you’re the kind of person who likes a visual representation of their wants and needs, take this time to make a vision board. There are plenty of online vision board creators, or you can make a “real” one with photos from home and garden magazines, drawings, and anything else that appeals to you.
You won’t get every single thing that you want unless you’re very lucky, but visualizing things in this way makes it easier to refine what you want so you’re ready to find it.
Pick the Perfect Location
Location matters, even within a single city. Where would you like to be?
Before you move, put research into all of the potential neighborhoods that you’re interested in living in. Similar to home features, neighborhoods often have qualities that are better for some people than others.
If you have children in the home, you may want to look into the closest schools to your potential new home, as well as any parks or libraries.
If you don’t want to (or can’t) drive, you may want to find walkable places or places with easy access to public transportation.
When you find appropriate locations it’s easier to narrow down your final home choice.
Visit Each Home
After you’ve narrowed down your list of homes, it’s time to pay each one a visit. Keep in mind that in a competitive market, it isn’t unusual for people moving into the area to do so “sight unseen” due to a shortage of suitable houses.
With this in mind, know that once you look at a house, it’s a good idea to try to make your decision fairly quickly.
Sometimes it’s obvious whether or not a home is right for you, but don’t be afraid to visit all of the homes on your list as long as you do so in a timely manner. You don’t want to make the mistake of settling when there was a better option elsewhere.
Check for Potential Problems
After you think you’ve found your perfect home, make sure to look around to identify any potential problems. You can do some of this on your own (because the issues are more obvious) but you can also have an inspector come once you’ve committed to a home.
You want to look for things that will be expensive to fix, so much so that they cause you to go over-budget.
These things include any kind of structural damage, plumbing issues, or anywhere that you know you’ll want to make significant renovations.
Certain problems, if you bring them up to the sellers, will result in them lowering their asking price or making repairs before the sale. Others are your responsibility and you need to factor them into your decision.
Looking for Corona Homes for Sale?
If it’s time for you to find your new home, that means that it’s time to find the perfect real estate agent in Corona, CA. They’ll take all of your wants and needs into account and make sure that you end up in a home that you’re going to love.
If you’re ready to look into Corona homes for sale, or you’re ready to sell your current home, we want to help! Get in touch with us to learn more.
