Thrilled. Ecstatic. Elated. These are all emotions associated with buying a new home, whether it’s your first time or you’re a seasoned buying pro. Yet with each home buying experience, there is something to be gleaned. Some pearl of wisdom you didn’t know or overlooked before, that can make you a smarter homeowner, future seller or home buyer if and when you purchase another home. What will you take with you from your recent real estate purchase? How can you get the most out of your home buying experience?

• Did you use an agent? Real estate agents have much to offer in the way of knowledge about the housing market and in finding your dream property. Take advantage of having an agent in your corner for future purchases, if you skipped it this time around.
• Assess your initial property search. What worked? Was it as productive as possible? Did you maximize your time by looking in the right location and appropriate price range?
• Did you get pre-approved prior to looking for a new home? Mortgage pre-approval certainly offers some advantages. Read our previous post on the benefits of being pre-approved here.
• How was the road to closing? Did you experience an easy loan application process, or are there ways to improve the management of documentation in future real estate transactions? Keeping meticulous financial records and statements can help streamline this process for the future, in a big way.
• Make note of what worked. If you did your homework, stayed within your budget and got an awesome deal on your home, pat yourself on the back! Take careful note of what factors or actions worked best for you, so you can apply them to future home buying experiences.
• Make note of what didn’t work. On the same token, identifying things that you would do differently the next-go-round also is prudent. Avoiding past mistakes can go along way in making any future home buying experiences easier.

If you’ve just purchased a home, congratulations! You’ve reached a milestone, whether it’s your first home or your third. At Linear Title & Escrow, we focus on making your closing as smooth, efficient and streamlined as possible. Contact us today at 757.340.0340 with your closing questions.