For many, buying a home is one of the most stressful endeavors you will ever take on. While you may never erase all of the stress associated with home-buying, with the right mindset, and the right toolset, you can certainly minimize the stress of finding and buying your dream home.

Getting pre-approved for a mortgage puts you in an advantageous position, and also lets you know what you can afford.
1. Get pre-approved. Making sure you are able to get a mortgage will reduce the stress of the home buying process, because you know you’re eligible before you even begin hunting, automatically taking that stress factor off your plate. That’s not the only way pre-approval will reduce stress – it also makes the home search easier. “Many sellers won’t even work with a buyer who is not pre-approved, so you automatically open up your housing pool when you get pre-approved,” says Todd Hetherington, CEO of Century 21 New Millennium.
2. Find the right budget and stick to it. Money is a huge source of stress when buying a house. “Figure out exactly how much house you can afford, and simply stick to looking at homes in that price range,” says Hetherington.
3. Make a Needs vs. Wants list. Similar to sticking to a budget, understanding your needs (three bedrooms) in relation to your wants (a gourmet kitchen) can save you time and energy during the home hunt.
4. Hire an agent you trust. A real estate agent is the number one way to reduce the stress of buying—or selling—a home. “Find an agent who specializes in your market and similar clients—first-time buyers, move-up clients, vacation homes, etc,” Hetherington suggests. While many think hiring an agent will make the home-buying process costlier, agents can help save money in the negotiating process. Regardless of money saved, working with an agent—who knows the process inside and out—will save you a great deal of stress.
For more information on buying a home, please contact Century 21 New Millennium at move@c21nm.com, 800-382-1101, or Century 21 New Millennium.
About CENTURY 21® New Millennium CENTURY 21 New Millennium, www.c21nm.com, is a full service real estate brokerage company specializing in residential and luxury properties. In addition to the Capitol Hill location in Washington, D.C., the Virginia locations are in Alexandria, Centreville, Culpeper, Fredericksburg, Gainesville, Loudoun, McLean, Stafford, and Woodbridge. The Maryland offices are located in Annapolis, Columbia, Dunkirk, La Plata, Lexington Park, Lusby and Waldorf. Its core services include: mortgage financing, investing, settlement, property management, property insurance, global relocation assistance, and commercial real estate.