How to have the best chance of finding your dream home

Every single one of us has some sort of picture in our minds of our dream home.First homebuyers in particular will develop a checklist of features their home simply must have, from a white picket fence and a big yard to a home located close to schools and parks.

Brisbane-based buyers agent and director of Universal Buyers Agents Darren Piper offers some tips for buyers to consider when searching for the home that ticks all the boxes.

Darren says while no dream home is out of reach, its important to look at and prioritise your ideal home criteria.

“The first step is to decide what is most important to you when it comes to your ideal home,” Darren said.

“For some people, being located close to school, parks and amenities is vital, while others are more interested in being located close to restaurants, bars and shopping precincts.

“Another factor to consider is the work commute – for some people, its vital to be close to public transport or the CBD, whereas others simply have a rough idea of suburbs that would make it easy to get to work.

“People may want to be close to their families, while people with children will want a larger house with a yard.”

Darren said everyone is different, and its important to tap into your personal style and desires before buying.

“Making sure your property search is tailored to you, and is realistic, can save you months of scrolling through sites and wasting weekends,” he said.

It takes the average homebuyer 200 hours to find a suitable property, Darren said, and as a buyers agent, his mission is to save the buyer not only money, but time.

“An experienced buyer’s agent will save you valuable time you might ordinarily waste when looking for a property by spending hours, days, weeks, and months searching through thousands of listing for the perfect property,” he said.

With an extensive knowledge of the property market, as well as connections in the industry, which allow access to not-yet-advertised properties, buyers agents can find a property that ticks all the boxes – regardless of how many there are.

Once a budget and criteria are decided, Darren said its then time to focus on the search.

“This is where things can get interesting,” Darren said.

“If buying with a partner, its important you are both on the same page. Compiling a list of ‘must-have’ versus ‘nice to have’ should make it easier when you start heading to open inspections.”

Darren said property searches are broken down into four essential factors:

1. Location
2. Price range
3. Dwelling size and style
4. Plot size

“Once of the biggest mistakes buyers make is falling madly in love with a home, and getting emotionally invested,” Darren said.

“Once a buyer starts making decisions with their hearts instead of their heads, that’s when they pay too much for a property, overlook important issues, and desperation kicks in, clouding judgement.

“If buyers keep sight of the vital must-haves, they will find their search so much easier.”

To ensure you buy the right property at the right price give our team a call now on 1300 117 561