Buying a luxury home is an enormous purchase, but it is also a life-changing one, and hopefully, it will be somewhere that will make you very happy for many years to come. Many people dream of owning their very own palatial pad and raising a family, but this does not have to be a fantasy as it is possible to purchase a luxury home without spending millions. As such a large and important purchase, it is important that you take your time to make sure that it is right for you and this can make it quite a stressful situation. Read on for advice for finding the perfect palace and making the big move.
Work Out Your Finances
First, you need to work out how much money you can afford to spend on the property. There are a few ways that you can improve the resale value of your current home, and this could make a big difference to the amount that you can afford, plus there are also various other ways to raise money. It is also important to factor in that there might be maintenance costs and work to carry out on the property.
Decide What You Want Before Looking
Think about your wants and needs from the property and draw up a list. Doing so will make it much easier to narrow your search to your idea of perfection. Aspects to consider include property type (modern or old), the number of bedrooms, parking, garden, location, to name a few.
Finding Affordable Properties
If money is tight, there are a few ways that you can find a mansion for more affordable prices. You could browse foreclosed properties or ones which are owned by the bank; sometimes a seller will be in a hurry to make the sale, often so they can push through their own purchase and will be willing to accept less. Additionally, factors like condition will impact price so if you are willing to buy somewhere that needs some work then you could make big savings. Additionally, property prices will change depending on the area of the country you are in so consider this if you are looking for more affordable prices.
Neighborhood
Just as important as the property itself, always think about the neighborhood and whether or not this is somewhere that you would like to live. Always take the time to stroll the surrounding streets and speak to the neighbors because doing so will give you a good idea as to whether or not this is the right place for you.
Use The Right Agent
Luxury properties are different to regular houses, and this means that you need to find an estate agent with lots of experience and expertise in the luxury property market. It means that they will know the ins and outs and know how to find a property that fits your needs. Additionally, a specialist may be aware of pocket listings; these are properties that are for sale but are not publicly advertised.
Use Your Bank
When you are financing the property, it is easiest to use your own bank for a loan as they will already have your financial portfolio and will be more likely to approve you. A pre-approval letter will come in handy and could speed the entire process up, so always obtain this from your bank early on in the process.
Don’t Judge Based On Photos
It is easy to look through photos and quickly dismiss ones that you do not like the look of, but this is not a great form of judgment for luxury homes which sometimes do not photographic particularly well. Always look at the accompanying information and arrange a viewing if it is somewhere that sounds like a good place to live.
Documentation
It is always important to keep a paper trail, but especially when shopping in the high-end property market. Scrutiny is high so always keep track of all financial documents and be completely transparent because it will speed the process up and keep everything stress free. Often, you will need to provide financial information even to view a luxury property so be prepared to show a bank statement or a reference from your accountant.
Home Inspection
Always get a home inspection carried out by an external company before making any decisions. Find one who specializes in the latest and best home features so that they can provide their assessment of the appliances and technologies in addition to the condition of the property.
Security
Following on from this, it is important that the property has safety features and gadgets as criminals can target these high-value properties. It is another reason why it is important to ask about living in the neighborhood. Fortunately, there are all kinds of amazing gadgets and pieces of technology that can make a property safe and secure if it does not have adequate security, and this may allow you to negotiate a lower price.
Think About The Future
It is easy to get distracted by these amazing properties, but it is important that you take your time and think about the future. The home might be perfect for your current way of life, but you will be spending many years in this house so you should think about the future. This might include having a child (or having more children), pets, a different job, etc. In addition to this, always research any planned works in the local area as you don’t want to spend a fortune on the perfect home in a quiet area only to have a block of flats built next door shortly after moving in.
Multiple Visits
Never rush or get pushed into parting way with your money as it is important to take your time and make multiple visits. Try to see the property at different times of the day so that you can get an idea of atmosphere and noise. If possible, consider booking into a nearby hotel to see how it feels to stay in the area briefly.
Title Insurance
Title insurance is vital when looking in the high-end property market. This is a type of cover that will protect the home buyer and lender from the possibility that the seller doesn’t have clear ownership of the property and, therefore, can’t legally transfer ownership.
Negotiating
It is always worth negotiation the price and especially if money is a concern. It can be hard to determine a fair price when a mansion has unique features, but have your agent research comparable properties to see if you could negotiate a lower price for the property.
Planning The Move
Planning the move well in advance will make things much easier and stress-free. It is particularly important if you are moving cross country, in which case you should always use a specialist cross country movers who can handle the entire process for you.
Buying a luxury home is an incredibly exciting process, and hopefully, it will be somewhere that you are very happy. As it is such a large purchase, it can also be one which causes a great deal of stress. The above advice should help you to navigate the market with confidence and to find what you are looking for, as well as ensure that the entire buying and moving process goes smoothly and successfully. Provided that you identify how much money you can afford, what your needs are and enlist the right people, it should not be too difficult to find what you are looking for and push the sale through.
Carol
Info sourced by the author for luxuryactivist.com. All content is copyrighted with no reproduction rights available. Images are for illustration purposes only.
