Buy the Home That Fits Your Life (Not Someone Else's) It may seem rudimentary, but the purchase of a house is first and foremost a very personal process of choosing the place that you will call home. The unsustainable appreciation in previous years has caused many to focus on real estate as an investment, a commodity that must be purchased with an eye primarily on resale value. Put simply, we have collectively developed the mentality of "the flip."
The truth is that the home you buy is much more than an asset with four walls and a breakfast nook. There is no guarantee in any market that you will be able to turn around and sell your house for a handsome profit. By remembering that you are buying for your family and not the buyer three or five or seven years from now, you ensure that you end up with your home, not just a residence.
Make the Internet Work for You - Information has always been tantamount to power, but today information moves at a faster speed than ever before. If you aren't using the Internet as a major part of your buying strategy, you're already at a disadvantage to shrewd home buyers who use the power of the web to research and compare listings. Setting up online home searches, saved favorites or new listing email updates is easy, regardless of your computer know-how. The more knowledge you have at your fingertips, the better prepared you will be moving forward.