Regardless of how experienced you are, when it comes to real estate purchases, there’s always more to learn. Although purchasing a home is an utterly thrilling venture, there are quite a lot of mistakes you could make. Especially if you’re buying a home in winter, you need to be careful with everything that could go wrong. Of course, winter purchases have many upsides that you’ll get to experience as well, such as lack of competition. Luckily, we’re here to offer guidance that’ll make everything easier.

1. Not knowing how to handle your finances

One of the most important things about buying a house in winter, especially in a busy market like Chicago, is taking care of the financial side of things. There are two big mistakes that are quite frequent in this area:

• Postponing financing organization – A huge mistake would be to either delay or entirely skip organizing all of your upcoming expenses. Even if you’re not the kind of person that makes lists and has a planner, this might be the time to make an exception. If you’re not sure you can do this, contact someone who is and ask for help.
• Racking up new debt – The wintertime is great for many reasons, and there’s a lot to look forward to. However, when it comes to finances, it’s easy to succumb to the pressure of the consumer culture. Even though you’ll want to get gifts for everyone in your family and friend group, make sure to do it sparingly this year. Whether you like it or not, you’ll need to spend a considerable chunk of your savings on both purchasing and renovating your home, as well as moving in.

 

2. Not being imaginative enough

Sadly, shopping for a house during the winter days can be a bit gloomy and uninspiring. Not all home sellers are resourceful and clever enough to make the property festive and cozy. However, instead of letting this ruin your open house experience, why not use it to your advantage? Focusing on the location and size of the home instead of picking apart every little detail that might bug you is the way to go. The Chicago snow and beautiful scenery will definitely be of help. Nevertheless, this is where you should let your imagination run wild.

• Let it snow – One of the best ways to fall in love with a property while buying a home in winter is to imagine it fully decorated for the Christmas holidays. Regardless of whether you’re a full-on holiday fanatic or if you can merely appreciate a good Christmas tree, this is sure to make you see the house in a whole new light.
• What if it were summer? – Of course, you can always go the completely different route and imagine the house you’re looking at during summer. If you’re moving in with your family, imagine sipping coffee on the front porch while your kids are playing in the yard. Being able to imagine yourself there will make all the difference.
• You’ll bring in your special touch – Don’t forget that this home is soulless from your point of view. Once you move in and bring in your style and presence, it’ll be much homier.

 

3. Failing to take delays into account while buying a home in winter

If there’s something that you can surely count on while purchasing a home in winter, that’s delays. Don’t expect everything to go perfectly and smoothly because it won’t. Since Chicago is snowy and windy, you can expect delays in everything that has to do with transportation; it’s simply unavoidable. Another area where you can expect unreliability is anything regarding contractors and repairs. If your pipes are faulty or you need the gutters cleaned, always add a couple of days to the agreed-upon deadline, and you won’t be disappointed.

 

4. Making lower offers and assuming you’ll score a deal right away

Something that many people try to get away with when buying a home in winter is lowering their offers. Just because someone’s selling their home during the colder days, it doesn’t mean that they’re desperate to do it right away. Of course, you can try this, but don’t expect it to work. Nevertheless, as you know, Chicago is a popular RE market with many great home offers. Additionally, you mustn’t forget that many potential buyers are after the same thing as you. Assessing the neighborhood you’re buying in and doing thorough research about the prices will help you set realistic expectations. It’ll also improve your chances of getting the house you set out to buy.

 

5. Not organizing your move on time

A significant part of any home purchase is relocating to it. Not only do you have to bear this cross financially, but you also need to invest time and energy into it. Organizing a residential move in Chicago and hiring the right movers to assist you will help you feel at home in no time, so make sure to plan ahead.

 

Steps to an easy relocation

• Make a strict timetable – Anything from packing and transportation to changing your address will take up a certain amount of time. Make sure to account for it to stay on the schedule you’ve made.
• Hire reliable movers – Seeing as how you’re probably not a moving expert, it might come in handy to hire someone who is. According to golansmoving.com, having a trustworthy team of experts by your side will give you just enough time to enjoy the process.
• Relax – Trust that you’ve done enough and that you’ve given it your best. Once everything is set in motion, you should try to stay as relaxed as possible.

 

6. Looking for places outside of your price range

Being realistic and objective is a quality you must have while looking for a home in Chicago. Just like you shouldn’t make low offers, you also need to stay within your price limit. It’s easy to get lost in the sea of gorgeous homes and wish to get something that’s really out of your price range. A great piece of advice is to find a reliable and competent residential broker to make sure that you’re looking at suitable options.

 

Take closing costs into account too!

Once you’ve found your perfect home, the financial assessments don’t stop there. While you’re buying a home in winter, you’ll most likely get a loan. Most of them will call for a certain sum regarding closing costs. Talk about this potential expense before making any deals.