House of Horrors: What TV Doesn’t Tell You About Buying a Home
Haunted house stories, like Shirley Jackson’s Hill House, are some of the most popular in the horror genre. Movies like Poltergeist and Amityville Horror gave way to an entire genre of storytelling in modern cinema. One reason haunted house stories are so popular is the real tales from all over the world where the unexplained happens inside the walls of a home.
There is nothing more horrifying than buying a home you intend to live in forever only to find it has metaphorical skeletons in the walls. TV shows like the very popular House Hunters franchise on HGTV may have set us up with some unrealistic expectations for what home buying or renovation should be. Here are some of the things you should know before buying your dream home and having it turn into your worst nightmare.
What HGTV Doesn’t Tell You About House Hunters
It’s public knowledge that most so-called “reality TV” shows are scripted. The same is very true for the HGTV flagship show House Hunters. As you watch the formula of homebuyers seeing three houses and talking about the pros and cons of each, what you might not know is that they already own one of the houses. Their entire experience is so different than what an actual home buyer would experience.
So, what is it you have to know about buying a home that will help you avoid these nightmares? How do you shift your expectations from picture-perfect to realistic while still buying your dream home? Here are a few tips to get you started.
1. Debt Accumulation
Piling on debt just to live your dream of buying a home may not be the healthiest or most constructive way to handle your finances. A mortgage, for example, can be a very good way to build your credit but only if you make other smart financial choices.
This is why we always suggest you talk with an independent mortgage lender before you begin looking for a new home. There is no bigger nightmare than losing out on your perfect home when you can’t qualify for the mortgage.
2. Realistic Expectations
The biggest contribution House Hunters may have made to our culture is unhealthy expectations for buying a home. Not every home will be perfect. Not every home will have all the features you want or love. And not every buyer can stretch their budget that far, even if the budgets described on the show aren’t realistic.
After you’ve spoken to an independent mortgage lender and know how much house can you afford, it’s time to talk to a qualified real estate agent specializing in the type of home or part of town you love.
3. Hidden Surprises
The other thing House Hunters glosses over is the imperfections that can be found in many homes, even the perfect ones. You don’t want the treats to turn into tricks after you close on the home. The offer process needs to include a thorough inspection which will give you a better idea of what you can and can’t handle.
It’s good to keep in mind that some problems can be easily fixed. And in many cases, you can work out a deal with the seller to fix them. But there are also major problems that can become a huge issue if not addressed, so know when to walk away even when it hurts.
4. Recurring Nightmares
Houses don’t always show their hand upfront. Many possible scenarios can come back to haunt you. What you want to do from the start is to minimize these situations. That means going in with a full understanding of your financial picture along with realistic expectations about the kind of maintenance your home needs.
Before you even buy a home, consider the regular things you’ll need to address such as cleaning the gutters, replacing the roof, fixing the HVAC, or other typical occurrences in homeownership. The more prepared you are, the less the monsters under the bed will become an unsolvable problem in the future.
Don’t let your dream home buying experience become a nightmare. Do you want to know about the process to apply for a mortgage? GoPrime Mortgage in West Asheville is here to help. Call us today –Zachery Adam at GoPrime Mortgage in West Asheville.
