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If you’re about to embark on the search for an accessible home, you may be worried about your chances of finding a property that suits your needs. It’s normal to feel nervous, but with a strategic approach, you’ll have no trouble putting down an offer on a home you can easily modify! These simple steps will provide you with a road map to buying an accessible home.

Considerations for First-Time Buyers

If you’re buying your first home, you’ll have quite a few important tasks on your to-do list! For instance, you’ll need to look up your credit score and start creating a house-hunting budget. Additionally, you’ll have to start looking up local real estate agents, preparing necessary paperwork for your lender, and identifying organizations that may be able to help you cover your down payments or the cost of home modifications. In the early stages of house hunting, you may want to create a checklist outlining these items so you don’t overlook anything important!

Financing Your Home Purchase

As a homebuyer with a disability, you might be eligible for financial assistance through the Housing Choice Voucher program or Habitat for Humanity, but while you may qualify for certain forms of assistance, there’s a good chance that you will still have to take out a mortgage to buy a home. If this is the case, Money Under 30 notes that FHA loans can be a great option.

First-time homebuyers with short credit histories and who can only afford small down payments can qualify for FHA loans. However, it’s always important to research all of your loan options when applying for a mortgage.

Choose a Great Realtor

In your search for an accessible home, working with a reliable realtor will be essential. You’ll undoubtedly have some unique concerns and questions, and your realtor can help you find the perfect home without compromising on your needs. With the help of a group like Title First Agency, you can connect with a realtor who will look out for your best interests during the house-hunting process and support you all the way through closing day.

Touring Properties

Once you’ve connected with a realtor, you’ll be ready to start visiting a few properties in person! This is where it’s important to be selective. While older, historic homes may be beautiful, they will also be harder to modify. Therefore, it’s crucial to check out homes that were built recently. Chances are, you’ll also prefer to tour single-story homes – while you could add a stair lift or elevator to a two-story home, those projects could prove to be quite expensive.

Find Reputable Movers

As soon as you close on a home that you love, it will be time to start packing and searching for a moving company. It’s best to start saving for moving costs well before closing day so that you’re not caught off guard! To find a trustworthy moving service, compare online reviews for a few different companies so you can make an informed choice.

Modifications

You may need to make certain modifications before and after you move in. Depending on your specific needs, 101Mobility recommends replacing entrance stairs with ramps, installing a safety frame around your toilet, and adding handrails along the walls where necessary. In order to move forward with these projects, you’ll need to bring a few contractors on board. Popular Mechanics states that you should make sure any contractor you hire is insured and officially licensed to work in your area.

When you’re on the lookout for an accessible home, it can be difficult to peruse local listings and identify properties that will fit your personal requirements. That’s why it’s important to work with a great realtor, seek out available assistance, and plan for modifications. If you’re proactive about this process, you’ll be surprised by how quickly you find a comfortable, accessible home.

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Putting your home on the market to sell during an off-peak season is not the most optimal but if you hire a Realtor that knows your market well, even in January, you still can sell your home at a competitive price. If you are living in the Northeast, Midwest or other cold areas, the following are some ways that can help to sell your home faster and at a fair price during the darker months of January.

There are fewer homes being sold in January (and all Winter), which makes people nervous about putting their homes on the market. More home buyers are house-hunting in the Spring months when the weather is warmer, and the days are longer. But, you might be surprised to find out that Winter could actually be a great time to put your home on the market. The new year is a time when most people are back at work after the holidays and will often search the web for their next big move. If you are serious about selling your home, it should be online and marketed early to ensure they don’t miss this audience.

In most markets, because January isn’t a high selling month, you will need a very experienced Realtor to help price your home as it can be complex. You don’t want to scare off buyers by pricing too high or even too low, causing buyers to wonder what’s wrong with your house. When your home is put on the market in the winter, buyers often assume you are desperate to sell your home and may lowball you thinking you’ll sell for any price. Buyers house hunting during the traditional off-season of January, usually means they are eager to buy and more willing to negotiate the price.

One way you can spur some interest during cold January is to price your home slightly under comparable homes in order to draw in multiple offers. More offers tend to drive up the value of your home prompting more competitive bids from buyers who often will end up paying more than the initial asking price.

The real challenge might be to help dress up your home in dreary January weather. To help make your home feel more welcoming, shovel the walks, add outdoor illumination along paths, light candles indoors, add cozy throw blankets, have holiday-type smells such as cinnamon or cookies, but take down any holiday decorations.

Furthermore, during the cold, any problems you may have in your home can become more prominent including drafts and leaks. To help lessen these potential problems, crank up the heat so buyers feel toasty warm and will be less likely to notice any issues.

While it may be difficult to sell your home in January, it’s not impossible especially if you hire an experienced Realtor who knows your neighborhood well and can guide you to list your home at the best possible price. Sometimes, waiting to list your home during the beautiful Spring months when the sun is out and the trees are blooming and flowering can mean that you could miss out on potential buyers. Many Realtors will tell you, some of their best sales happened in the new year.