Buying a home this holiday season doesn’t have to be stressful
The holiday season is officially upon us and with it comes the holiday stress. Figuring out who to buy for, what to buy, and what your budget is can be extremely taxing. Couple that with a drastic life-changing event like buying a home and you could be in for one tough winter. However, home buying doesn’t need to be a hassle; here are a few ways to relieve or avoid stress when buying a home this holiday season.
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While it may seem obvious, planning your home buying process can be fairly easy to put off. However, doing the legwork of planning beforehand is a crucial step in the process.
When initially beginning the home buying process, it’s important to know what credit score is needed to buy a house to see if buying is even a feasible option before you begin looking. Once you have this information, it makes planning your holiday budget a lot easier, so you know how much of your resources are needed to dedicate to one or the other. This saves you the stress of worrying about your finances during this time of the year.
Find Assistance
If you’re planning on juggling buying a home and holiday shopping, don’t do it alone. Finding a trustworthy real estate agent in the market you’re looking in will be a huge weight lifted off your shoulders. They will handle much of the heavy lifting and walk you through each step of the process.
In addition to finding a quality realtor, it’s never too early to start looking for a reliable local moving company. If you really need a helping hand this holiday season, look for a full-service moving company that will move, pack, load, transport and unpack all your belongings. These services are particularly helpful in long-distance relocations.
Using these professionals will ensure that you won’t have to worry about the moving process altogether (except maybe a few small personal belongings). Again, these services can get a bit pricey, so budgeting is crucial. Obtaining a mortgage pre approval from a lender is a great way to budget how much you can afford to spend on these services, your home, and holiday shopping.
Focus on Yourself
While it can be easy to overlook, your mental health should be your number one priority, especially during the holiday season, with many beginning to experience signs of seasonal affective disorder.
This time of year should be merry and joyful, so be sure to focus on yourself and identify if you need to take a step back.
By using a journal to keep track of everything, you can stay on track with your goals and find a good balance between the home buying process and holiday prep. Additionally, setting aside free time for yourself to do things you enjoy like yoga or reading a book are great ways to destress during such a hectic time period.
If, however, the home buying process becomes too overwhelming, then consider putting it on the back burner and working with your agent once the holiday season has come and gone. It may not seem ideal at the moment but taking that time off to work on your mental health and spend time with your loved ones will help you have a more positive home buying experience.
Buying a home can be a long and strenuous process with many bumps in the road. If your home buying experience happens to take place during the holiday season, you’ll find comfort in knowing there are ways to handle it. Just be sure to plan ahead, find assistance when needed and most importantly, focus on yourself and you’ll be sure to have a seamless experience.
Briana Marie is a mental health and financial literacy advocate, and founder of Major League Mommy. In her spare time, Briana enjoys yoga, travel, and spending time with her Husband and two daughters.
