Home options. Inspection details. Title reports. Mortgage requirements. Oh, and planning a move. Feeling overwhelmed about your upcoming move into the home of your dreams? Stop the head spinning by staying organized. Do you want to alleviate some of the stress involved in buying a home? Here are some tips to stay organized when buying a home in Atlanta.
Get a Great Agent
What do you do every day of your life? If the answer is anything other than buying a house, then you should probably enlist the help of a great agent. After all, this is what he does for a living. People think of agents as the finder and negotiator of the home. That is great and certainly part of how they earn their commission. But the real value comes in understanding the timelines and mounds of information coming in during the escrow process. Yes, there will be mounds – so much so that you’ll need a box to just move it all to the new home.
One of the most overlooked and vital roles of the agent is to keep the escrow process moving smoothly. This starts with understanding timelines such as when inspections need to be completed. Missing a deadline can cost you money by waiving a negotiation point or forcing you to give up your good faith deposit if you decided to walk from the deal. Agents help you sift through the reports, disclosures and title documents to help see what issues need attention and what is minor. Find an agent you trust.
Make a List
Buying a home means you are most likely moving as well. Make a list of everything involved in the home purchase. This includes things your realtor needs from you, things your lender needs from you and other items such as dealing with new school enrollments for the kids and changing doctors.
Lists help prioritize things while preventing you from forgetting about others. Break the list down into sections such as “home purchase,” “packing,” and “new neighborhood.” This way you can see what is priority pending and what still needs to be done but has a bit more time. For example, getting the lender your tax returns is vital while finding a new dog groomer in the new neighborhood is most likely secondary (sorry Fido).
Break Big Things Down Into Smaller Ones
There are many things about buying a home and moving that easily overwhelm the best of us. It will easily feel that you are juggling 12 balls. Look at the list and break things down into more manageable tasks. You might decide to review all reports in person with your realtor rather than on your own. This shortens the time needed as the realtor explains key items and helps you move on faster.
Look at the process of moving. Take the time to tackle donation items first. Go through closets and storage areas for things that won’t be going with you. Toss or donate. Once you have removed certain items, start packing things used less frequently. This way you can keep operating life as needed without having to pack everything at the last minute.