Buying Your First Home – An Interview with One of Our A-Players
We sat down with our very own, Megan Gilbert to get the inside scoop for first-time home buyers! Megan and her fiancé finally found their forever home(yay!) and she’s sharing her journey with us to help others. She shares practical insight as well as details of her experience searching for and purchasing a home during COVID-19. Let’s see what she has to say!
Q: When did you start looking for a home and how long did the process take?
A: The process started in early March but then was quickly put on hold due to COVID-19. We resumed in April and close in July on our forever home! We probably looked at close to 100 homes and as many as 30 within one day!
Q: As we experience all of the social distancing and other changes due to COVID-19, how was your home buying process impacted?
A: It was certainly a different experience and some houses we couldn’t even look at, so instead we decided to focus on the homes that were open for in-person tours. The realtor had us sign a contract that stated we didn’t have COVID-19, we had to list who would be there at the showing, masks were required and most places had stations setup with hand sanitizer.
Q: What was on your home wish list?
A: Open concept, big backyard/pool and preferred one floor.
Q: What are your top tips for anyone going through this process?
A: 1.) Find a good realtor and ask questions! Our realtor was amazing and made it easy for us because she was available and willing to answer all of our questions, read through the paperwork and explain everything to us as we went along!2.) Always look at the home in-person! For us, this was a non-negotiable. I recommend not getting attached to something you find online. Pictures can be deceiving and you never know what the home is truly like until you visit in person!
3.) Find a good loan officer! Working with someone you can trust and who is completely honest is essential! Interest rates are at an all-time low, so, now is the time to buy—but, just make sure you can count on the person/company holding the loan.
4.) Be flexible with your wish list! We were dead set on having a home with a pool and a footprint with only one story. However, in the end—we chose a two-story home that doesn’t have a pool but has a large yard that can accommodate one in the future!
Q: What is your favorite thing about your new home?
A: It’s brand spankin’ new! It’s in a new neighborhood less than five minutes from where we live now! It’s also in turn-key condition. We couldn’t ask for more and our commitment to the process paid off in the end! Don’t lose heart!
Are you beginning the process as a first-time home buyer? We hope this advice helped you prepare! We want to help make your experience as amazing as can be. Give us a call today 281-378-4343 and we are happy to discuss all of your home storage needs!
