Are you thinking of buying a home in Tauranga?
Whether you’re a first home buyer or you’ve owned a house before, we understand that trying to find the perfect home for you and your family can often feel as daunting as trying to find the needle in a haystack. So, to help you out we’ve hand picked our top tips that you must know before buying your new home in Tauranga.
Every great decision begins with a great plan
First things first. Every great decision begins with a great plan. Do your research! Make sure you thoroughly understand the legal and financial process of buying a house. Think about your financial situation, research the average cost of homes in your desired location.
Decide how much you want to spend then ensure you will have enough for a home loan deposit, for most lenders, this is typically a minimum 20% of the amount you are borrowing. After this, make sure you speak to a bank or lender to apply for a preapproval to a home loan.
And if you’re a first-time buyer, be aware of the government funded help you could be eligible for, this could be through KiwiSaver, the Welcome Home Loan, or other methods.
Take the time to think about the location
Take the time to think about location, From the beachy Mount Maunganui to the kiwifruit capital Te Puke, whether you’re looking for something brand new, or something that you can add your own creative flair to through renovations, Tauranga has many options to choose from.
Also, be sure to put yourself into the picture too. Think about your daily life and how your home choice could affect or enhance this. For example, if you have or are planning on having children it might be a good idea to buy a home close to a school, Matua is a great choice.
You may even want to consider building your own home instead. In that case, there are many builders in Tauranga that can assist with this – but that’s a whole other topic!
Once you’ve figured out your budget and what kind of home you’re looking for, you can start looking at potential homes!
Don't let your heart override your head
When viewing a home, it can be easy to let your heart override your head. Remember the future plan you just made and take your time to think about how this home fits in with it. Can you see yourself living here for at least the next five years? If not, this probably isn’t the home for you.
Experts claim that if you live in a home for less than 5 years there’s a good chance that you could actually lose money, usually due to closing costs and mortgage payments.
Can you renovate to make a house your home
Overlook minor décor deficiencies. Don’t let ugly carpet get in the way of you and your dream home. Just because it looks that way when you buy it doesn’t mean it has to stay that way forever.
Renovating is a great way to make your home look more appealing and add your own personal touch. You can renovate on your own but if you’re not the “Do it Yourself” type or you want to make sure a top quality job is done, Precise Builders can take care of all your renovation needs.
Check for any faults or issues
Remember to take your time to check for any faults or issues when looking through a potential new home, it can be easy to forget about the small things that we take for granted! While relatively easy to fix, these can quickly become a pain.
Save yourself the hassle in the long run and be sure to assess things like mould and low water pressure. Also, be sure to check that heat pumps and electrical outlets are all working.
And lastly, don’t be afraid to ask your real estate agent questions, after all, it is their job.
Happy home finding!
