HGTV: 23 Things Every First-Time Homebuyer Should Know

July 13, 2021

First-time homebuyers often make rookie mistakes. But it doesn’t have to happen to you if you do your research and ask a lot of questions. Heed these 23 recession-proof lessons to help guarantee your home-buying success.

Lesson #1: Figure out your priorities before searching for a home

Before shopping for a new home, it’s important to set your priorities and decide which factors are most important to you in your home search. If you settle on this in advance, you can make thought-out decisions during the home-buying process and avoid the unsettling feeling of buyer’s remorse. “I always tell my clients: price, conditions, location, size — pick two,” says Courtney Poulos, broker and owner of ACME Real Estate in Los Angeles. “Tailor your search based on what your personal priorities are. Sometimes if you give up location you can end up with an incredible house — and given a little bit of time, an area transforms into a more desirable neighborhood and you’ll end up reaping the benefits.”