Buying a home in the US can be an exciting time, but it can also be stressful. There are so many decisions that a prospective buyer needs to make, such as whether they want to buy an apartment in New York City (where I live). Or many they want a more rural house in some Texas City locations – or even a detached or semi detached home.
Not only that, but there are also a bunch of financial elements to consider too.
If your brain is feeling a little foggy from trying to figure out how to buy a house in the US, we get it – I’ve been there!
That’s why I have brought you a guide to buying a home in the US.
As you might know, I’m the author of the bestselling book Happy Habits. Inside my book I share a range of habits which boost happiness.
In my research, I learned that creating a home which feels like a sanctuary is a big predictor of happiness. With this in mind, let’s look below to see the steps you need to take to buy a home in the US.
Here’s everything that you need to know about this confusing yet rewarding house buying process!
Before you even visit any estate agents, you will need to figure out exactly what you want.
It can be helpful to write a criteria list of everything that you want.
Try to write something with as much detail as possible so that your estate agent can match you with the right home.
A good estate agent can make all the difference when you’re buying a home in the US. Make sure that your estate agent specializes in selling the kinds of homes that you are looking for.
Find someone that’s dependable and has your best interests at heart.
In addition to the estate agents, you will also need to get a lawyer, a currency specialist and financial adviser. These people will help to give you the best advice when it comes to buying your home so that you don’t make any expensive mistakes.
When your team is assembled, you should then start looking at homes with your estate agent.
Check out some property listings in the location that match your budget.
You can then shortlist some properties that you like with the realtor.
When you have found the properties, it’s time to do a viewing trip with the realtor! It will help you to see what the home looks like in person, and it will also allow you to have the opportunity to explore the nearby surroundings. It’ll help you to figure out if you will want to live in the area.
If you’ve found your house, it’s now time for all of the legal and financial stuff.
Speak to a financial advisor as they can advise you on how you can properly finance your future property. Consider how much things like tax, inheritance, pension and insurance will cost.
It’s time you put your offer in!
Be sure to get a professional home inspector’s opinion to let help you determine the best price you should offer
Then give the other party a number! You may find that there’s a little negotiation involved, but this is standard practice.
When both parties have agreed you can then move onto the next steps.
You will need to speak to your attorney about making the agreement binding. Your attorney will look for things like property records, paperwork and a lot more in order to ensure that the property is suitable for purchase and that it’s legally transferred into your name. It can also help to get a property survey done at this point since it will tell you what work needs to be done. You can pull out of the offer for a while up until the deal is sealed, but it’s worth knowing that you may incur some charges.
The final thing to do is seal the deal on your new home! You’ll need to sort out a couple of last minute things with your financial adviser and your attorney, but otherwise you can get the keys and move in!
Now it’s just a matter of arranging moving vans, collecting your keys and figuring out what you want to do with the home.
Pop some champagne when you move in! You deserve it!
Buying a home in the US can be a complicated process, but it doesn’t need to be totally stressful. You can save yourself a lot of anxiety by knowing exactly what you need to do in advance. When everything is done, you will have a gorgeous property that you can call your own. It’s definitely worth all of the paperwork!
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