5 Stress-Saving Tips to Find Your Dream Home in Boston

Whether you are a seasoned pro who has bought and sold homes numerous times or a first-time home buyer in Boston, it’s always useful to refresh your memory about steps you can take early on in the home buying process to minimize the stress involved in a home purchase.

Below, the Prevu Team has shared a few stress-saving tips to help you find your dream home in Boston.

Know your budget

When getting ready to buy a home or apartment in Boston, the first thing a buyer should do is secure a mortgage pre-approval. Not only does a pre-approval letter from your lender show sellers you are a serious buyer, it also helps you have a firm grasp of what you are able to afford based on your finances.

Whether your home buying budget is more or less than you expected, having a clear sense of your upper limit will save you time by focusing your attention solely on properties that can qualify for your dream home list. 

Give yourself enough time to search

If you are planning to take the leap from renter to homeowner, you shouldn’t wait til your lease is almost up to begin your home search. Make sure to give yourself an adequate amount of time to do your research, find your home, and allow time to get your mortgage to close.

Far too often, renters feel the time crunch of an upcoming lease renewal. This creates unnecessary stress where buyers rush a decision on the wrong home or renters put their search on hold out of fear of being homeless.

As a good rule of thumb, buyers should allow for 4 to 6 months to search for a home, achieve a deal on a desired property, undergo the mortgage underwriting process, and complete the closing of the transaction.

Narrow down your neighborhoods

Quite often people buy in a neighborhood they already live in. Afterall, renting in an area is like test driving the neighborhood before choosing to invest a significant amount of money in a property. 

However, if you aren't already living in the neighborhoods you are considering, make sure to spend time in those neighborhoods. Visit during the day and also at night. Weekday hours have a different feel than on weekends, so best to go multiple times. Go to dinner in the area and ensure the neighborhood has the vibe you are looking for.

You probably already have some ideas in your mind on which parts of Boston you want to be in, but for example, Jamaica Plain, Beacon Hill, the South End and Charlestown, while all wonderful neighborhoods, all have different vibes. 

Don’t forget to consider your commute and tasks you might do frequently such as grocery shopping, running to the drug store or the post office. They may factor into your location selection as well. 

Refine your list of must-haves 

There’s the old Rolling Stones song lyric that says "you can’t always get what you want," and this couldn’t be truer when trying to find your dream home in Boston. When buying a home, there are sometimes trade-offs between what you want and what you can afford. 

To navigate this, it can be helpful to do your research and make a detailed list of your must-haves in advance of starting your search. Whether you can’t live without a washer / dryer in unit or demand a state-of-the-art chef’s kitchen, having a list of must-haves helps you prioritize your search to find as many of the key items you desire.

Hire a modern, tech-enabled brokerage in Boston

Buying a home can be a stressful and frustrating process, but it doesn’t have to be. Modern brokerages provide buyers with technology platforms that streamline the homebuying process - making it seamless and hassle-free.

Prevu, a tech-enabled brokerage in Boston, has created an online buying experience that saves homebuyers time and money. With Prevu’s Smart Buyer platform, Boston homebuyers are able to search listings, receive property & open house alerts, request in-person and virtual tours with click of a button, and collaborate with your agent digitally.

In addition to the time savings of Prevu’s online platform, the company provides Boston homebuyers with its industry-leading commission rebate. When buying with Prevu, you receive up to 1% of your purchase price cash back.

Interested in finding your dream home in Boston? Browse listings and see how much you save when you buy with Prevu.