As I came up with the title of this Blog, one movie and one song from that movie came to mind. My 3.5 year old daughter loves it! Sings it practically everywhere in the house and her 5 year old brother and I have grown weary of it. Frankly, we don’t have dreams of building a snowman and could deal with a lot less Frozen in our lives at the moment. But this song got me to thinking about the people that I meet everyday who are looking to buy a house, create a memory such as someone whistling or singing in every room to your delight and amusement or to scratch on your nerves for a moment. So what does it take to buy a house and create lasting memories there?

Find the Right Price Range

The first thing you must absolutely do is meet with your mortgage lender to figure out what you are qualified for in terms of a loan. This is a necessary first action so that you are not looking at homes that may be far above your reach and wasting your time in the process. Once you have determined what you are qualified for and what payment amount each month makes you comfortable and not house poor, the fun begins!

What is Your House Style?

Do you want an old house with loads of character and natural light? (some maintenance required as well). Maybe you would like a brand new home with all of the bright and shiny things with little or no maintenance? Have you been eyeing that Mid Century Modern Ranch or are you more of a traditional colonial style person? Your style reflects that which is aesthetically pleasing to you and you probably have a good idea of what it is you are looking for.

Get Some Help

Find an agent. I know, I know I am biased, but truly…HIRE AN AGENT…and not just any agent, but an agent with experience in the field and one that knows the ins and outs of home buying. An agent that could tell you what it may take to remodel a certain room or one that could eye a water heater and let you know if it’s ready for the scrap heap. I have been in the business for 10 years and can tell you that after countless inspections, mold tests, radon tests and you name-its later I have learned a great deal about things that no real estate class could cover.

Where Do You Feel at Home?

From there you start to figure out which neighborhoods in the Madison area you like. What’s truly strange is that people gravitate towards the west side or the east side, but rarely do you see them cross the great divide. Determine proximity to your job, your passions, your lifestyle and then build a map around that area, present that to your agent and see if your price point is in line with what you are looking for. The last thing you want to do is get stuck somewhere that doesn’t suit who you are as a person.

Get Out And See Some Homes

Now for the best part! SHOPPING!!! We go out and tour homes that you have personally picked out the first time so that both you and I get a sense for your taste. We talk about how long mechanicals may last, the construction of the home, the resale value for the neighborhood, parks and then on occasion we get to say really fun things about shag carpeting, large, red, heart shaped baths in basements, wallpaper and so forth. Once you have seen about five homes you have an idea in your head about what sort of home you will walk into and say, “This is IT!!!” There is no magic number of homes you will see prior to the magical moment, but on average people will see between 8-10 homes before finding the ONE!

Making an Offer

Now that you have found the ONE, we sit down with you to draft an offer and go over all of the contingencies. Typically you would see financing, inspection, appraisal and radon testing contingencies in an offer and the Seller would expect that. However, if it is a hot property slated to sell quickly we discuss the contingency plan. You make a good faith down payment referred to in Madison as “Earnest Money” after acceptance and then we go through the contingencies one by one. My favorite is inspection because it leaves my stomach in knots.

Big Check, Bigger Emotions

After all contingencies are satisfied and title work provided, we sit at a closing table with the largest check you have ever held in your hands and confidence that you have made the right choice. When everything goes well, this is how it should work out.

So, do you want to buy a house? Call Mark today at 608-658-0467 to sit down and discuss what it is you are looking for.