As a first-time homebuyer, finding and purchasing a home of your own can be a challenging journey. You’re likely working with zero or limited knowledge of the process and feverishly researching to prepare yourself for what’s to come. When you get started on this journey, here are a few tips on some of the steps you should take to make the process a tad easier. 

First-Time Homebuyers Should Check Their Finances

The first step to buying a home? Check your finances. 

Have you been budgeting your money? Are you controlling your urges to overspend? 

People buying a home for the first time likely understand the sticker shock on housing prices. What you might not understand is how much everything else costs. Down payments. Closing costs. Inspection fees. Moving expenses. 

All of it will feel insurmountable if your finances aren’t in order. 

Achieva can help with checking and savings accounts, online banking, and automatic savings to help you keep your money in order. 

First-Time Homebuyers Need Their Own Real Estate Agent 

At some point during the home-buying journey, you’ll physically visit homes you’re interested in. You can have a real estate agent manage that, but open houses are another popular option.

Open houses are a low-stakes method of seeing a house up close. It’s the perfect chance to see all the literal nooks and crannies that aren’t always available or captured in an online listing. A word to the wise, though:

If there’s an open house you liked during the visit, don’t reach out to the agent yourself afterward. Have your agent do it. 

A realtor who is representing the seller at an open house might seem like they’re being helpful; they’ll answer your questions and offer assistance with other parts of the home-buying process. But ultimately, that realtor works for the seller. You should ignore them if they tell you they can simultaneously work for both you and the seller. 

You need an advocate. That’s not guaranteed with a realtor working both sides of the same deal. Do yourself a favor and get your own real estate agent that can put your needs and best interests at the forefront. 

First-Time Homebuyers Will Need a Loan 

As a first-time homebuyer, you’ll need a loan from an institution you can trust. There are several places to apply for a loan, but credit unions make excellent options to handle your mortgage needs. 

Achieva is a great place to begin your home-buying journey. With local lending decisions from people who live and work in your community, a variety of mortgage rates and loan options (including 100% financing with no money down), pre-approval processes, title services, and more, Achieva can help make home-buying a little less stressful.  

What seems like small differentiators – like having a validated pre-approval letter – can actually give you a leg up on other buyers. And that could be the difference between getting your dream home and missing out on it. 

First-Time Homebuyers Will Need Patience

Buying a home is a challenging process, and is likely one of the biggest purchases you’ll make in life. You need a team of people who care about your success and will do everything possible to get you across the finish line. 

Speak with an Achieva professional today to learn how our mortgage advisors can make your homebuying dreams come true. 

Additionally, if you’re looking to buy a home in Tennessee, Achieva offers up to $3,000 toward your qualifying closing costs! Achieva is Banking for Good.

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