If you’ve ever purchased a home before, you know that the process can be nerve-wracking at times. But the home buying process shouldn’t feel like you’re walking alone in a dark, haunted house where a zombie could pop out at any moment (and if it does, this article is for you!); it should feel more like strolling through a pumpkin patch where you’re looking for your perfect pumpkin (or, in this case, home). So today, I’ve compiled a list of 5 ways to stop the real estate scaries that includes actionable tips for managing your home buying anxiety this spooky season. Read on if you dare!
1. Get Your Home Loan Pre-Approved
Trying to find the perfect home while managing the home loan application process can become easily overwhelming. Instead of trying to juggle both (like a spooky clown juggling at a local fair), I recommend trying to get your home loan pre-approved. That way, you can not only eliminate the worry of getting approved, but you can convey your seriousness of buying a home to sellers while also identifying what your budget is. Because ultimately, there’s no worse jump scare than finding the perfect home and realizing you’re not qualified for it.
2. Use Tech to Your Advantage
The -ber months (as the internet has so lovingly dubbed them) are always a busy time of year. Between Thanksgiving, Halloween, and gearing up for Christmas, there’s a lot to do, which means that sometimes house shopping can fall down on your to-do list. In order to alleviate this, I recommend trying to use tech to your advantage. But what do I mean by this? Well, instead of bundling up your little ghouls and goblins to take them to an in-person showing, why not try looking at new listings online? Many real estate agents, including me (wink wink), offer virtual tour links on their website to get a comprehensive view of each available property so you can tour them without leaving the comfort of your home. Plus, utilizing this technology means you can move faster on any fa-boo-lous homes you may find.
3. Normalize Getting Cold Feet
I’d like to say that getting cold feet never happens in the real estate industry, but the truth is that it’s a very common thing to experience when you’re looking for a new home. For many, there’s nothing spookier or scarier than the unknown, which is why I’m here to normalize getting cold feet. The fact of the matter is that buying a home is one of the biggest financial commitments you’ll make, so it makes sense that some buyers become anxious about the process – even if it’s their dream home. Keep in mind that this feeling is incredibly common, and it will pass (on) with time. RIP to your anxiety.
4. Remember Why You Fell in Love
If, at this point, you’re still in the throes of the real estate scaries, I always tell my clients to remember why they fell in love with the property in the first place. Maybe it was the boo-tiful chef’s kitchen, the stunning master suite, or perhaps it was the large backyard with tons of space to do the monster mash in. Regardless, it’s important to try and enjoy the journey, especially if you’re a first-time home buyer. Yes, buying a home can be somewhat scary, but with the right attitude, it can be scary in an ‘I’m nervous to try the spaghetti and eyeballs’ kind of way rather than an ‘I’m running away from an axe murderer’ type way.
5. Communicate With Your Real Estate Agent
Finally, if you’re still feeling ill at ease with your home buying process, it might be time to communicate with your real estate agent about it. Here’s the thing: when you work with an experienced, professional real estate agent like myself, there’s almost nothing we haven’t seen. Whether you’re anxious about finding the right property or stressing because you’ve put an offer in on your dream home, we can help soothe your nerves and provide advice or support to get you through. In other words, you don’t have to navigate the real estate maze (a little reference to The Shining for all you horror buffs) alone; I’m here to help you every step of the way.
Final Thoughts
Ultimately, it makes sense that you have some anxiety when buying a home – even the Addams Family weren’t sure about their house at first – but it’s how you manage those feelings that makes all the difference. Start by getting your home loan pre-approved so you already know which properties you qualify for when you start looking. Take some of the stress out of in-person tours and rely on technology to give you an idea of each property’s pros and cons. Once you’ve found a home or even put an offer in, remember it’s completely normal to get cold feet and that the feeling will pass with time. However, if the feeling persists, do your best to remind yourself about what you fell in love with in the first place – sometimes, that’s all it takes to get yourself back on the right path. And lastly, like many things in life, communication is key. If you truly feel like there’s an outstanding issue, or if you just need some additional support, don’t be afraid to reach out to your real estate agent and let them know what’s going on. In the end, we might not be able to fight off every real estate scary you’re feeling, but I hope this list has given you some actionable advice on what to do to manage your home buying anxiety this spooky season!
If you’re searching for an experienced, reputable realtor in the GTA to represent you as a buyer or seller in your next home transaction, be sure to check out my featured listings and do not hesitate to reach out to me directly!
