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For 1^st time home buyers, searching for a dream home can be as exciting as it is stressful. Many times these buyers have a clear picture in their heads of what their new home will look like.

Don’t let the small stuff bother you

When you’re out house hunting with your Orlando Realtor, it’s important to keep an open mind or you could end up missing out on a sweet deal. Bad decorating, banged-up walls, and bright green carpeting are things that can be easily corrected and won’t break the bank.  

In today’s Orlando real estate market, 1^st time home buyers are finding out quickly that they can’t be too picky if they want to get a good deal on a home.

Before you even start your search, you should get pre-approved by a lender so that you know exactly what the highest amount is that you can afford to pay for a house. Once you know how much you can afford be sure to only view homes that are within your budget.

Looking at homes outside of your budget can be disappointing or even worse… cause you to end up in a bad financial situation. It’s a horrible feeling to be unsure if you can afford to make your mortgage payment for the next 15 to 30 years of your life. It’s best to stay under your maximum budget when searching for your home.

If the home you find is in need of some repairs, It’s important to know how much these improvements will cost you before you submit an offer on the home.

Here are some guidelines to help you figure out when it’s worth repairing a home or if it’s time to move on to the next one.

•  The Layout- There’s not much you can do about a bad layout without getting into some major remodel costs. 1^st time home buyers shouldn’t even consider buying a home that is in need of major structural repairs.
• The View- Again, not much to do here except change the window treatments. However, this still doesn’t change what you’ll see when you’re looking outside.
• The Exterior- If the home doesn’t have a good curb appeal, it shouldn’t be a deal killer. Sometimes all it takes is a fresh coat of paint and some minor landscaping to make it pop.
• The Walls- If the walls are covered in tacky wallpaper or an ugly color, don’t sweat it! Instead, try and picture what the walls will look like with your choice of the wall color. Painting is one of the cheapest and most impressionable things you can do to a home.
• The Floors- Installing new flooring in a home can get expensive depending on what kind of flooring you use and how much work it will take to rip out the old flooring. Depending on your taste and your budget, this one can be a deal killer.
• The Kitchen. Don’t be thrown by outdated appliances and color schemes in the kitchen. These things can be easily fixed with a fresh coat of paint and new appliances. However, if you want new cabinetry and granite countertops, make sure this is factored into your offer.
• The bathrooms. Bathrooms are much cheaper to remodel compared to kitchens. However, if you can get away with just a bit of sprucing up without getting into replacing the tile and fixtures, you’ll be in much better shape.
• Landscaping- The landscaping of a home should never keep you from making an offer. This is something that can be done little by little and best of all, you can do it yourself and make it your own design!

Before submitting an offer on an Orlando home, think about what want vs what you can’t live without. By doing this as well as knowing your maximum budget, you’ll be much better prepared for house hunting.