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I was recently talking with a friend who has started the search for their very first home in the Wilmington area.  Needless to say, she and her husband are incredibly excited about the opportunity.  As we were talking, she mentioned that her realtor had sent her over 100 listings to look through!  I blurted out "100 LISTINGS?!?!  That's insane!"  I tried desperately to hide my shock, but for anyone that knows me knows that hiding my emotions is not really a strong characteristic of mine (wink wink).  As we continued our conversation, she let me know that she and her husband were really undecided on exactly what they are looking for.  This is common for many first-time home buyers.  So, I thought I would pass on some tips for those that may be starting this first-time-home-buying journey in hopes that you won't have to look through a hundred listings before finding something you might be interested in. 

1. Remember waking up all those mornings and wishing you had 2 sinks in your master bath so you didn't have to wait on your significant other to finish up?  Mental note: want 2 sinks in the master bath.

2. Do you currently have to trek to the garage or to a laundry mat to wash clothes?  If so, consider how important having an indoor laundry is to your wish list.

3. Are your kids getting a little older and leaving you longing for more "alone time" with your significant other?   A split floor plan is great for creating distance and independence as the kids grow up. 

4. If you are anything like me, mowing the lawn is one of those activities I feel is best left to the professionals.  If you feel the same, consider a detached townhome or a neighborhood that has an HOA that provides front yard landscaping in the HOA Dues.

5. Are you looking for a forever home or a transitional home?  If you are looking for a transitional home, positioning yourself for resale should be a #1 priority.  Keep in mind that everyone has different taste, likes/dislikes, must-haves and must-not-haves.  Make sure you go as neutral as possible, with as much as possible.  Location/cost over desire/upgrades.  This will make the difference when you need to sell.

Although this is a very short list of things your realtor should be asking you in order to narrow down your search, I hope that it gives you a jump start into thinking about what is most important to you.

If there is anything I can do to help you in your search, I would be honored!

Until next time,

Sherri