If you’re beginning the search for a new home in St. Louis, you might be looking for some strategies to make the process more enjoyable and efficient. The house-hunting process can be overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. One of the best ways to make the process more pleasant is to identify the common mistakes people make while hunting for a new home. Here are a few to keep in mind:

No Clearly Defined Budget

Buyers who don’t define a budget from the beginning set themselves up unnecessary frustration. Having a budget, then only looking at the homes that fall within those parameters, saves you from wasting time on the houses that won’t work. The other problem with looking at homes outside your budget is that it leads some buyers to purchase homes that were simply unaffordable, but they were so enamored with the listing photos that they just had to see it. Have a clearly defined budget from the start so that you know your absolute maximum before beginning your search.

Using Search Parameters that are Too Broad

Get specific. After narrowing down your options based on price and what fits into your budget, look for houses that have the minimum number of bedrooms you need, minimum number of bathrooms, etc. Filtering out the options that won’t work will streamline the process and help you maximize your time.

Putting Too Much Stock in Upgrades and Staging

It’s easy to be wooed by luxury upgrades and stunning staging, but you can’t let those things obscure the bigger picture. Focus on your must-haves, the location, and whether the home will be a good fit for your family. Those are the things that matter most. If the home meets your requirements and has some bells and whistles — great!

Not Knowing When to Compromise

Hopefully you do find the perfect home, one that has everything you’re looking for and more. But, in reality, you will probably have to compromise on some things. So, give some thought again to your must-haves and your non-negotiables. You’ll have a long list of nice-to-haves, and these may be the things you’re willing to compromise on if you find something that checks all the other boxes. There’s nothing wrong with holding out for just the right property, but if you want to be closer to the office or your children’s’ school, or you’d like to have an additional bedroom for a growing family, compromise might be part of the equation.

Knowing in advance what people do wrong will help you sidestep those things and have a more efficient and less stressful house-hunting experience.

If you’d like a recommendation for an experienced local Realtor to help, or if you need to get pre-approved for a mortgage, please get in touch — we’d be happy to help.