Real Estate Professional Network

Preparing to Buy a House in Knoxville, Tennessee

By Linda Julian, Realtor, EXIT Realty Knoxville

You don’t usually wake up one day and say, “I think I will buy a house today!” It usually is a gradual process because you want or need to relocate, need more space or decide it is time to move out of Mom and Dad’s or the apartment you have been living in.

If you are doing this by yourself there is not as much conflict as to what you want, wish for or hope to find in a new house.  In the situation where there is a spouse, girlfriend, boyfriend or roommate it becomes a little more complicated trying to match likes and dislikes, wants and not wants.

I usually suggest to my buyers they sit down and make a list of things they want in a house. If you are going to be sharing the house with someone else I would suggest they also make a list of their wants for a new place. Then I ask both parties to combine their lists. At this point I suggest to my buyers to decide what 5 things or the top 3 things they just can not live without in a new home. It makes sense to review the original list and see what items are an absolute must and which items would be a nice bonus but are not crucial to a new home.

This could be any number of things, everyone has preferences on what makes a house a home. For example, because you have a dog it would be a must to look at homes with a fenced in yard or you hate scrapping ice off of the windshield in winter so you would prefer to look at homes with a garage. For someone who cooks a lot they may feel they cannot live without a garbage disposal.

You have to look at your lifestyle, your daily schedule and the mental list of changes you have wanted to make in your next residence, i.e. 2 bathrooms so you don’t have to share with someone else who always leaves a mess after a shower or you don’t have to go through one bedroom to get to the other one.  There are any number of things which could be overlooked because there is another aspect of a house you are viewing gets you excited about the house, so you don’t notice the door to the oven doesn’t open properly because of the way the cabinets are arranged.

Looking for a new home can be exhausting, but it is crucial to take your time, go through each house thoroughly and stick to your list. It may take a little longer, looking at a few more houses and just being patient to find the one which meets all your needs, but in the end it is worth it!

Linda Julian works in all parts of town especially South and West Knoxville, Bearden, Cedar Bluff, Farragut and Karns she also works in areas around Knoxville like Clinton and Maryville.

After graduating from the University of Tennessee with a Bachelor's Degree in Business, she spent 28 years working in the lending industry.  While working in lending she went back to school and obtained her real estate license, giving her 11 years experience as a Realtor. In the last 5 years she has obtained valuable knowledge and experience in the purchase and closing of foreclosed homes. Training on Historic Housing in the City of Knoxville helps to broaden her knowledge of the Knoxville market. Ongoing training is a must to keep abreast of current trends.

Exit Realty Knoxville is your number one resource for all your real estate needs, including listing, sales, referrals; Linda is committed to serving you—put her to work for you, linda.exitrealtyknoxville.com :  865-363-5306 (cell), 865-690-4300 (office),  TOLL FREE:   888-966-4926

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