If you are thinking about buying a house of your own, you are probably already in a spiral where you are thinking about all of the difficulties that come along with this process. Let’s face it, buying a home is not an easy thing, no doubt about that, and it’s a major life decision that could impact you in many ways. This is why it needs to be approached carefully and all options need to be considered.

I understand how difficult this can be because I went through it myself. This is why I’ve decided to share some information with you that could potentially make your path to homeownership easier. There are many different options and easier solutions that people aren’t even aware of but might be eligible for them, so read carefully.

Shape up your finances

The first thing before doing anything else is to get your finances in order. A lot of people make this mistake and they end up getting into a more complicated process or cannot get the loans and mortgages that they need. Lenders need to be sure that giving you loans is the right decision and this is why your finances must look good.

The higher your credit score, the more money you will be able to save on mortgage and interest. With bad credit score, you will only be able to get loans and mortgages which offer worse conditions, so take your time, shape up and make a credit report request before contacting lenders.

Find a good realtor

A lot of people think that they can save up money by avoiding real estate agents and doing everything on their own, I know I did. This was one of the biggest mistakes I made. I didn’t know that realtor’s commission is actually paid by the seller and not the buyer, which is you in this case, so not hiring a realtor is a mistake that can cost you a lot of money, stress and time.

Not only this, but sellers also look for buyers that have agents and they trust them more. With a realtor, you will get insights into the information you never even heard of, speed up the appraisal process, or be able to negotiate deals that you thought were never possible.

A good real estate agent also knows the market really well and can find you properties for sale you could never find alone. Simply put, they have a lot of experience and knowledge that they’ve gained over the years and your research could never match what they have to offer. The best way to find a good agent is to look for referrals from friends and family.

Are you an army veteran?

A lot of people that served their country don’t know that they have a lot of benefits and privileges when it comes to buying a home. There are various special mortgage loans for veterans such as VA loans, cost-closing benefits and even upgraded, VA Jumbo Loans. There are many different options with VA Jumbo loans, and you need to see for which kind of loan you are eligible.

VA loans offer more flexibility and lower qualification standards for veterans, while VA Jumbo Loans allow the same things only for even higher sums and more expensive purchases. It is important to do your research if you are a veteran and talk to your realtor about your situation, where you served and for how long, to get all of the benefits you possibly can.

Look for a home that needs some fixing

This might seem like an illogical thing to do, but bear with me. When looking at homes, it’s best not to go for the “perfect” ones, as they will cost a lot more than their real value, after all, you are getting the full package. Instead, look for houses that need small repairs that you alone can take care off.

This is where you can negotiate fiercely and lower the price drastically. A lot of sellers don’t know how to do basic home repairs or they simply won’t invest in a home they plan to move out of and this is your chance to put in a little bit of work but save a lot of money.

In the end, consider looking for a home during winter. During this period of the year there aren’t a lot of buyers and the prices usually go down. This is when you should go house hunting and save some extra cash.