Buyer's Tips: How to Refine your Home Search

I must emphasize how crucial it is that you, as a buyer, go through a process of refining your housing needs before even going on a home tour with a realtor. Part of my job as a realtor is to take the criteria you send me and essentially curate a tour of homes that will suit your needs. More often than not though, based on the initial criteria folks send me, that list can hundreds of homes long! Far too many for you to waste your time looking at online or in person. I always encourage my clients to think more deeply about their criteria for a home before you begin the active part of your home search. If you’re thinking of starting your home search, consider these action steps first:

Think Deeply About Your Needs: budget, schools, style are all important, yes. Take a few minutes to think further into what your LIFESTYLE needs are - How do you like to relax? Do you go out to dinner or are you a homebody? Are you interested in a particular type of industry/work path that might require you to be in a certain part of town, who do you want your neighbors to be? Are you the type that wants to engage with your neighbors? All of these things shape a city’s landscape and all are things I, as a local, can help guide you towards.

Talk to a Lender FIRST: And make it local! A lender will be able to tell you exactly what it is you are eligible to purchase. Portland is a hot hot market, and the right lender keeps a close eye on what’s going on to make sure we can deliver a desirable offer when you’re ready. Knowing what you’re eligible to borrow can narrow down your search significantly.

Know the Local Landscape: Bridging off of point one, there are so many cultural aspects that folks don’t consider when thinking about their move. That’s why I produce my YouTube series, House Hunter PDX (HHPDX), which takes you through Portland, neighborhood-by-neighborhood, talking specifically about that the elements of those places that should inform your decision in moving there. I’ve covered many of Portland’s hottest neighborhoods, and there are more to come, so keep tabs on HHPDX here.

Once you’ve done all of these things, it’s time to take the profile you’ve created and get in touch with a realtor. If you’re looking in Portland, Oregon - give me a call! Real estate season is ramping up - buyers and sellers, the time is now! Eldridge Huntington 503.926.2929