photo credit: insidious_plots
For many people, buying a house is going to be one of the most exciting things they will do in their lives. Even old hats still get a thrill out of purchasing a new property. The whole journey of finding, negotiating, and closing an escrow on a new place is an experience that is full of emotion. I am sure many folks don’t get much sleep the night before they are going home shopping. Like a kid getting a new bike for Christmas, some people can’t wait to get started.
Sometimes, they are too eager for their own good. Let me explain.
Odds are, you are not going to find the right home the first time you go out looking. There is so much more involved in buying a home than just picking one out and buying it. A home is a major investment and you owe it to yourself to do your homework. The last thing you want to do is tie up a large chunk of your capital in a rotten asset. What if you buy a home, only to discover you like the neighborhood next door much better? What if the home puts your kids in the wrong school district? What if you buy in an area with low resale value and you could have bought in an area on the upswing? Chances are, if you had not rushed into things, and taken your time, you would not have made these mistakes. Of all my escrows that have fallen the out, the majority have been because my client bought on the spur of the moment, and later had buyer’s remorse.
When buying in Big Bear, location is very important. I can’t tell you how many times I have shown property to buyers who told me that they absolutely only wanted to be in a certain neighborhood, only to have them buy somewhere else once they saw what was available. Unless you are a local, there is a very slim likely hood that you actually know every neighborhood and its characteristics. Do yourself a favor and at least drive through the whole valley before you make your decision. If you buy before seeing everywhere, you could be missing out on something special.
If you don’t see a home you absolutely love, wait. We have new homes coming on the market every day. The odds of a home you will love becoming available in a short amount of time are very good, especially if you have a good Realtor in your corner watching the market for you. It is far better to wait until the right home comes along than jump the gun and buy something you only kind of like. I would recommend finding a Realtor you know is a full time professional and letting them do the leg work for you. Someone who is on the ball and knows what you like is in a great position to make sure you know about the house and can move quickly to buy it.
If you have any questions about Big Bear real estate, please contact me at izzy@thetimwoodgroup.com
Izzy Barden
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