Buying a home is one of the biggest purchase decisions of your life, especially for first-time home buyers. The process can be complicated by unfamiliar lingo, surprise expenses and multiple offers. To make the buying journey a little less stressful, our team put together 3 tips to help you navigate the process more smoothly and save money.

1. Get Your Financial Picture in Focus

You’ll need to know what monthly payment you will be comfortable with and how much you have for a down payment before you start the home buying process. You may want to meet with a financial planner to help you with a budget that will work for you. Getting pre-approved is one of the best things to do before you get started. 

2. Find an Agent You Can Trust

There's something to be said about working with a Realtor or a real estate team that you can trust. You can relax knowing that you have someone on your side that's looking out for your best interest and negotiating on your behalf. Moving to the Sacramento area? Consider working with the Sherri Patterson Team. 

3. Determine Exactly What You Want
A home can come in all shapes and sizes, but what does your dream home look like? The more specific you are, the easier your search will be. When you know your budget for your new home, and you've pinpointed the neighborhood you want to live in, you're ready to narrow down your search and view homes that match your interests. Check out our Relocation Guide for a more detailed list of what you should be looking out for when searching for a new home. 

These three steps will smooth out the buying process. Use our Buyer's Checklist to make sure all of your bases are covered and check out our Buyer's Resources Page for more tips to add ease to your next home purchase.