10 Steps to Finding Your Dream Home

Advertising Disclosure: When you buy something by clicking links on our site, we may earn a small commission, but it never affects the products or services we recommend.

Finding and buying a home can be an exciting adventure. But if you aren’t careful, you can make mistakes that will quickly turn your dream home into a nightmare.

So, before you start shopping, build a roadmap that leads to the home you want. Here are 10 steps to get you there.

1. Get your head on straight

Cameron Whitman / Shutterstock.com
Cameron Whitman / Shutterstock.com

It’s easy to see something you can’t afford — a bigger home, grander kitchen, better neighborhood, more bedrooms, fabulous design — and start rationalizing why you need it and how you can get it. This is normal.

These intense desires, though, can cloud your judgment — maybe just momentarily, but sometimes long enough to cause mistakes with long-lasting consequences. This is why savvy home shoppers nail down financing before shopping for homes. Know exactly what you can comfortably afford so you aren’t tempted to stretch to pay more than you should.

2. Pull your credit reports

danielfela / Shutterstock.com
danielfela / Shutterstock.com

The first step in applying for a mortgage is to make sure your credit reports have no errors. These could cost you money, because a lower credit score usually results in a higher interest rate than you’d otherwise get.

You can get a free credit report each year from each of the major credit-reporting agencies — TransUnion, Experian and Equifax. Apply for a report from all three, making sure each is error-free. Do it as much as a year before applying for a mortgage so you have time to correct any errors you find.

For more tips, read “How to Get Your Free Credit Report in 6 Easy Steps.”

3. Learn your credit score

garagestock / Shutterstock.com
garagestock / Shutterstock.com

Mortgage lenders use your credit score — usually a FICO score — in deciding what interest rate they’ll offer you.

Check your score long before home shopping so there’s time to raise your score if you discover it’s low. There are a number of ways to get your FICO score for free. If you find you need to improve it, try these “7 Quick Ways to Raise Your Credit Score.”

4. Consider renting versus buying

Africa Rising / Shutterstock.com
Africa Rising / Shutterstock.com

Owning a home is not always better than renting. Many factors are involved — including whether you are likely to move, how much upkeep will cost, what you will have to pay in interest. Take a good look at the pros and cons of each before deciding to be a homeowner.

5. Save for a down payment

staras / Shutterstock.com
staras / Shutterstock.com

You can’t borrow the entire cost of a home. You’ll need to put your own money into the purchase — get some “skin in the game,” as real estate agents like to say — with a down payment.

The more cash you contribute, the more affordable the home purchase becomes. For example, putting in at least 20 percent of the home’s price lets you avoid paying for mortgage insurance. Also, the more cash you bring to the deal, the less you need to borrow, and the smaller your monthly mortgage payments will be.

6. Get preapproved for a mortgage

Turhan / Shutterstock.com
Turhan / Shutterstock.com

Getting preapproved for a mortgage is not the same thing as being “pre-qualified.” Pre-qualification is an initial screening that lenders typically offer home shoppers. It’s a cursory process: Prospective lenders ask about your debts, assets and income, and quote you a rate that you’d probably get if your answers turn out to be accurate.

Preapproval, however, requires you to complete an official mortgage application. You let a lender pull your credit score and check deeply into your financials. You’ll learn exactly how much you can borrow and roughly what your interest rate will be.

With a preapproval, you’ll get a letter from the lender saying that you’ve been approved for a mortgage up to a certain amount. When you make an offer on a home, this letter gives you an edge over buyers who have not yet applied for financing.

You may have to shop around to find a lender that preapproves borrowers. A great place to start comparing what lenders have to offer is here, in our Solutions Center.

7. Make a list of must-haves

Alexander Raths / Shutterstock.com
Alexander Raths / Shutterstock.com

Before the excitement of home shopping hijacks your brain, make a list of the bare minimum features that your new home must have. It must have at least two bedrooms, for example. Or, it must be on one level. Or it must have a yard.

You’ll need to pull this list out again and again as you consider homes for sale.

8. Get to know the neighborhoods

Oksana Tysovska / Shutterstock.com
Oksana Tysovska / Shutterstock.com

You’re not just buying a home, you’re buying a neighborhood — and all of its sights, smells, noises, architecture, conveniences and drawbacks. It’s a good idea to find a few neighborhoods that you can afford and that roughly meet your requirements. When you choose an agent, you’ll want one who has expertise in those areas.

For more on finding the ideal neighborhood, check out “20 Tips for Buying a Home in the Best Location, Location, Location.”

9. Find a real estate agent

g-stockstudio / Shutterstock.com
g-stockstudio / Shutterstock.com

Now, shop for the agent who will help you find a home. Talk with several of them and interview them carefully, asking about their backgrounds, and properties they’ve helped buy and sell.

Choose someone who knows your particular market inside out and who has helped buy and sell a lot of properties in the neighborhoods where you want to live. Chemistry matters, so listen to your gut. Find someone who is sought-after by clients but who is not too busy to make time for you.

For more details, read “How to Find the Right Pros When Buying a House.”

10. Shop for homes

Andy Dean Photography / Shutterstock.com
Andy Dean Photography / Shutterstock.com

Finally! You’ve arrived at the fun part. It also can be the grueling, heart-wrenching, exhausting and confusing hard part. But now you are well-prepared for your search. Good luck in finding a new home that suits you to a T.

We’d love to hear about your home-shopping experiences. Post a comment below or at our Facebook page.

Get smarter with your money!

Want the best money-news and tips to help you make more and spend less? Then sign up for the free Money Talks Newsletter to receive daily updates of personal finance news and advice, delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for our free newsletter today.