Getting ready to embark on your home-buying journey? Home ownership is more attainable than you may think! Follow these essential steps to start preparing:

1. Identify Wants vs. Needs: Before you start house hunting, clearly define what you need versus what you want in your new home. Needs might include the number of bedrooms or proximity to work, while wants could be a home office or a pool. This will help you focus on properties that meet your core requirements while balancing your budget to set yourself up for success.

2. Save Smart with Tech: Use budgeting apps to track your savings and manage expenses. This definitely does not mean 'giving up your avocado toast', and we're tired of this rhetoric! Understanding your spending habits can be as simple or as intensive as you want it to be. Set up automatic transfers to a dedicated home-buying fund or auto-investment funds with apps like Mint, Acorns, or YNAB to help you reach your down payment goals more efficiently. A consultation with a financial advisor is also a great way to find options that work for you to help you reach that downpayment faster!

**3. Chat with a Mortgage Broker: Meet with a mortgage broker to explore your financing options. They can help you find the best rates and loan products suited to your needs and pre-approve you for a mortgage, giving you a clear budget and competitive edge in the market. 

**4. Consult a Real Estate Professional: Partner with a trusted real estate agent who knows the local market, and prioritizes consulting clients to meet their specific goals. We use a tried and trusted process to guide and educate you through the buying process, help find properties that align with your wants and needs, and love to negotiate on your behalf for the best deal.

Preparation is key to a successful home hunt, and as we get ready to move into a more approachable interest rate environment in the next 2 years now is a great time to start a plan as we sit in the trough of the market - this trough won’t be around forever though! Define your priorities, use tech tools for savings, seek expert mortgage advice, and give us a call when you're ready to hear how we can help you achieve your real estate goals!