When you take a moment to think about buying a home, several things may come to mind:

• It’s a major financial commitment
• Packing up and moving can be arduous and downright overwhelming
• Desired criteria in a new place (swimming pool or mountain views, anyone?)
• Location plays a key role most of the time
• etc., etc., etc.

Don’t talk yourself out of a home purchase just yet.

Getting caught up in a big-picture stressful scenario will cause nothing but anxiety. What if you could break it up into steps — small, one-by-one tasks to help you make your decision? We’ve got you covered.

Behold, our printable checklist for determining whether or not you are ready to buy a home.

Whether you are a first time home buyer or moving up (or even down-sizing), download and print off this one-page, super manageable task list. Go through the list one step at a time. If you come to a step that stops you in your tracks, put your home search on hold until you can complete that particular step. But if you successfully tackle a task, keep going! (And imagine our team in the background cheering you on!)

Here’s a quick preview of the first three steps:

1. Write down your desired criteria (bedrooms, baths, square footage, and the like)
2. Talk to a local real estate agent
3. Talk to a local mortgage lender

Easy, right? The first three steps in determining if you’re ready to buy now are simply thinking about what you’d like in a new home, and talking to a couple of professionals. That’s it! We can’t speak for other real estate agents, but if you decide to talk to one of our team’s agents, you will absolutely receive zero pressure. We know it is important to be solidly prepared before starting a home search, and sometimes people just aren’t there yet. So print this list, grab a pen and write down your desires, and then let’s have a conversation.

BONUS (because it’s always good to be informed)! We’ve included a couple of next steps, too.

If you do indeed decide that now is the time to buy your next home — let us be the first to say congrats! Here are some things you’ll want to keep in mind going forward:

• Be prepared for upfront costs, such as an appraisal, home inspection, radon test, and closing costs
• You will need homeowner’s insurance lined up prior to moving into your new home
• Get ready to pack up and move out of your current home [check out our packing & moving checklist!]

And remember, have fun! It’s not every day you have the opportunity to search for your next home. When you ultimately find “the one,” you’ll be thrilled, and we’ll be thrilled with you!

Now, what are you waiting for? Print off the list, write down your desired criteria, and move on to step two: talking to a local real estate agent.