Just how much do we love our pets? Several surveys showed how much pets are affecting the homebuying process. Pets influence many buyers on the types of homes and neighborhoods they search for, becoming the biggest reason their favorite humans decide to become homeowners.

A 2021 homes.com survey of 1,600 homeowners who are also pet owners showed that 68 percent of respondents who weren’t already living in a pet-friendly home said they have moved for the sole purpose of accommodating their pets.

Another joint survey from Rover and Zillow found that 62 percent of pet parents consider moving to a new home to accommodate their dog. Likewise, listings that mentioned dog-friendly features such as fenced backyards, dog runs, and dog houses sold faster.

House-hunting is no easy task. And with your pets and their needs in mind, it might be even more challenging. While there might not be what you can call a ‘perfect’ place, asking these five questions will hopefully get you close to finding the best home for your family and pets.

Every state, county, town, city, and even some neighborhoods, have specific laws and ordinances regarding pets. By reading up about local regulations before committing to a neighborhood and a home, you’ll be aware of important information such as:

• Pet type and breed restrictions

• Pet licensing and registration

• Types of fences or other structures that you can install in your yard

• The number of pets allowed per residence

• Leash requirements

• Vaccinations

• Loose dogs

• Spay and neuter guidelines

• When local authorities can impound or euthanize your pet

If you are looking to move to a condo or community with a homeowners association, pet restrictions may be a bit tighter. Research the local rules beforehand so you won’t be caught off guard by unexpected regulations or expenses when you move in. Don’t forget to consult with your local real estate agent or the HOA to further your knowledge of the rules.

We treat our pets like family and want only the best for them. So when looking for a new home, you must check for the nearest veterinarian and the proximity of other pet services, including supply stores and animal hospitals. This may depend on how far you’re moving, so don’t be afraid to ask for recommendations from your current veterinarian. It’s especially crucial if you have a young or senior pet prone to emergencies.

Your real estate agent is your tour guide who can point you in the direction of the local hotspots, including pet-friendly cafes or restaurants, and dozens of other services catered to your pet’s needs.

Speaking of your pet’s welfare, you may want to consider moving to a community with plenty of sidewalks and good walking routes. Even the most obedient dogs or cats can sneak out and wander about, so you may want to steer clear of busy streets and be aware of how heavy the traffic gets in your neighborhood.

Dog parks are another great amenity to search for when house-hunting with your pets in mind, especially if they need more room to play and exercise. It’s also a must not only for your pet but for you as well, so you’ll both be motivated to walk and exercise more often, especially during leisurely weekends.

After considering the location and making sure your potential neighborhood is pet-friendly, the yard, or lack thereof, is the second thing to look out for in your potential home. Is the backyard big enough for you and your pet? It’s important for dog and cat owners because even if you prefer to keep them indoors, it’s still a good idea to have a yard with room to roam.

A fenced-in yard is your best option to provide safety and security for your pets when they’re enjoying the outdoors. If there is already a fence, inspect it to ensure that it’s still in good condition and that it’s high enough that your dog can’t jump over it. But if a fence is lacking, you may need to factor that cost into your budget. As long as you’ve done your research on local restrictions, it might be easier for you to consider the size, type, and material of the fence that’s allowed and works for your family’s needs.

The inside matters just as much as the outside when finding a new place for you and your pets here are some of the pet-friendly features to consider:

• Durable and pet-appropriate flooring

Carpet isn’t the ideal flooring choice as they trap pet hair and can be difficult to keep clean. You may need the appropriate cleaning supplies to remove pet stains and odors, and they tend to wear out quickly. Hardwood floors usually fare better with pets, as they’re easier to clean and restrain. However, you may want to consider large rugs and runners to minimize damage.

While it all boils down to what fits your lifestyle and tastes best, some of the floorings most recommended by experts are vinyl plank and tile. They’re mostly durable, cost-effective, easy to clean, and scratch- and water-resistant, so they can withstand water bowl spills, accidents, or even skidding paws.

• Adequate space

Always consider the size and number of your pets when touring homes. Extra space is a huge bonus, especially if you have indoor-only pets that need space to run and play safely. You also want to have a designated space where you can keep their bed, toys, crate, as well as food and water. This ensures they have a space of their own while making it easier to keep your home organized. 

• Washing station or space for clean-ups

Spaces that can be dedicated to pet cleanup have been gaining popularity. Doggie showers or washing stations located in entryways and mudrooms are just some ideal features that will make it easier for you to clean up your pets after playing outdoors. Other pet-approved upgrades, like doggie doors or built-in feeding stations, are beneficial to have included instead of having to add yourself.

• Pet-friendly layout and design

Lastly, keep your pet’s age and breed in mind. Common features like stairs can become a problem when your pet’s mobility decreases as they age, or if they have certain health conditions. If a multi-level home is what you’re looking for, features like ground-level entryways and fenced-in areas may be beneficial to ensure that your pet doesn’t wander without supervision.

If you’re looking to make buying your first home your biggest goal this year, it’s crucial that you lay the groundwork as early as you can. And it’s important, especially in today’s competitive housing market.

Fortunately, there are some pretty simple but huge steps you can take to get into the home-buying game on a strong footing. By understanding the ins and outs of the process and doing as much preparation, you’ll be empowered to make the best decisions to be able to purchase your dream home.

1. Educate yourself about the home buying process.

There are many avenues where buyers, especially first-time buyers, can educate themselves about home buying and homeownership. You can start with various credible online articles, real estate blogs, and enroll in homebuyer education programs and courses usually offered by the government and other housing counseling agencies.

Educating yourself will help you become confident in your decision-making, especially in competitive markets where buyers need to make quick but smart decisions. It’s also critical that you understand each step of the mortgage process since a home might be your biggest investment. Homebuyer education can also qualify you for programs that make it easier for first-time buyers to afford a home.

2. Figure out how much you can afford.

Think you’re ready to buy your first home? You must know how much money you’re working with. Sometimes, what a lender will give you and what you’re truly comfortable with are two different numbers. By setting a realistic budget, you’re less likely to get carried away and shop outside your price range or stretch too far when making offers, especially when there’s a lot of competition.

Aside from your monthly mortgage payments, there are other things you need to cover as a homeowner. Do your homework and carefully factor in other expenses like property taxes, utility costs, HOA fees, homeowners insurance, among others, so you can determine what you can afford and how much your all-in costs will be.

3. Work on your credit.

The better your credit history, the better the chances you’ll have of securing financing with the best terms and rates. A good, healthy credit score will not only help you qualify for most mortgage loans. It can also earn you a more affordable interest rate, which could save you thousands of dollars over the life of the loan.

How to get started: You can get your credit report and score from each of the three major credit bureaus (TransUnion, Equifax, and Experian). The Fair Credit Reporting Act entitles you to one free copy of your credit report from each of the three major credit bureaus every 12 months. You can order them online at annualcreditreport.com. Since errors are common and can drag down your score, getting a copy and reviewing them will help ensure that the information on all of your credit reports is correct and up to date. You’ll also have plenty of time to make the necessary adjustments if needed.

4. Build your homeownership dream team.

Buying a home can be complicated and intimidating. This is why finding the right team of professionals by your side is crucial. They will help you navigate through the entire process and reach your goals.

Consider having on your team a local and experienced real estate agent, whose expertise is vital to your home search and will ensure that you get the best deal possible. A trusted mortgage lender or home lending advisor can help you understand how much you can afford, what financing options are available and best for you, and where you can get assistance suited to your situation. Your agent can also refer you to other professionals that will be part of your homeownership dream team, including a real estate attorney, home inspector, contractors, appraiser, title company, home insurance agent, among others.

5. Secure your down payment and closing costs.

One of the biggest challenges facing first-time home-buyers is having enough money upfront for both the down payment and closing costs. This is why securing these things should be a priority. Conventional wisdom says you should put 20 percent down to the table as a down payment on a house so you can get a more favorable loan term and avoid having to pay extra for mortgage insurance. But according to the 2021 Home Buyers and Sellers Generational Trends Report by the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR), the median down payment for all buyers was 12 percent. Knowing that you have to come up with a little less money than expected means that homeownership is more attainable than you think.

Since you’ve already figured out how much budget you’re working with, you need to research the down payment requirements for your desired loan. And regardless of what percentage is your goal – 3 percent or even 20 percent of the purchase price – start planning how you can set aside that money. Seek ways to cut spending and set aside a portion of each paycheck to go directly into your home buying fund.

Here’s a sweet analogy- think of a home for sale like your favorite bread or pastry. Most, if not all, are best consumed when they’re freshly baked, much like a home that has been fresh on the market. But bread gets stale as days pass by, which makes it less and less appealing. The same can be applied to a listing. As a home’s days on the market creep higher, it gets “stale” and prospective buyers start to be curious. This can be a huge factor in real estate transactions.

Knowing a home’s days on market is critical in many ways. Read to know more!

Days on market, often abbreviated DOM, is defined by the National Association of Realtors as the number of days from the date on which the property is listed for sale on the local brokers’ multiple listing services (MLS) to the date when the seller has signed a contract for the sale of the property.

DOM can also be referred to as “time on market”, and is basically a measure of how long a house takes to sell. It is also used as a key metric by buyers and real estate agents to see which homes are fresh to the real estate market.

• DOM as a search filter 

Buyers and their real estate agents can use DOM as a search filter to identify homes that have been listed for a long time. 

• The DOM is an indication of how hot the market is.

The average number of days on the market is often used to describe how hot the market is in a particular area. For instance, in a seller’s market where there are more buyers than the number of homes listed for sale, the days on market are fewer because of the high demand.

• Higher DOM = “Is there something wrong with the house?”

When a home is listed for sale on the market, the usual expectation is that the property will sell quickly. This is because homes generate the most interest when they’re new. If the number of days between the listing and sale is few, it might indicate two things: either there is a high demand or the property was underpriced but of good value. 

The more days on the market there are, the more likely it is for everyone to wonder if there’s something wrong with the house. It might be a beautiful home, but could be overpriced, need help with staging, or isn’t desirable to most buyers. It can also lead buyers to think that the seller is unmotivated, stubborn, or always unavailable to show the home.  

• Higher DOM = a potential bargain

The good news on a house with a high DOM? It can also indicate a potential bargain, especially from sellers who haven’t received offers and who may be open to a lower offer. In an area that has a large number of houses listed for sale, and the home has been on the market longer than the other properties, the days on market can become a negotiating tool for the buyer. Work with your agent to learn more about why the property has sat so long on the market, and about the seller’s urgency to sell. 

Yes, especially in certain markets. If a listing is taken down off the market for a few weeks or months, and then gets relisted with a new, possibly lower price, the DOM counter might restart. This gives buyers the impression that the home just came on the market. The same generally happens if a new agent takes over the listing. 

However, most local MLS associations keep track of the Cumulative Days on Market (or CDOM), which is the total market time accumulated on a property, as well as the DOM. In such cases, you need to work closely with your agent to do a deep dive on a listing’s full history so you will know exactly how long the home has been for sale.

As you approach closing, the pinnacle of your home buying journey, you’d want nothing to go wrong. But with many hurdles or complications that could get in the way before you finally hold your house keys, expect the process to be more stressful and overwhelming. 

With a real estate agent by your side, you’re at least assured that the closing will be streamlined and become more bearable. But still, you have to know what to expect and do some legwork to help make it go as smoothly as possible. Here are several things you can do to prevent potential problems and close the deal with fewer hiccups:

1. Read as much paperwork in advance.

Last-minute delays at real estate closings are often caused by problems with paperwork. 

You are making the biggest purchase of your life, so it’s critical you understand every detail of your contracts. Get a head start on reviewing the paperwork as much as you can. Read every word carefully in the documents and emails being sent to you, and read everything again and again if needed. 

Doing so will give you ample time to make notes, ask questions, or address any misunderstandings in advance. This way, you won’t find yourself looking over the documents while everyone is sitting and watching. While there’s nothing wrong with taking your time during closing day, it might make you feel uncomfortable causing you to skip valuable details when signing.

2. Make sure your name is consistent throughout the documentation.

No alias, nicknames, or stage names are allowed when it comes to real estate transactions. 

You will be required to provide a government ID at closing. If your name on the ID doesn’t match your paperwork, you will have to either get a new ID that matches the one on the paperwork or redo the paperwork to match the name on the ID. This might be the case if you recently got married or divorced and failed to update your driver’s license with the name change. Either way, just know that you will not be able to close your house on that day. 

To avoid this complication, make sure your state-issued ID has your current name on it and double-check your name’s spelling on the paperwork. Likewise, always share your full legal name with the lender, your real estate agent, and the title officer when carrying out the deal.

3. Always keep relevant parties informed.

The real estate deal doesn’t just involve the buyer and the seller but also other relevant parties—the buyer’s agent, the seller’s agent, the lender, the title representative, and sometimes even a real estate attorney and an accountant.

Any changes that occur prior to closing, whether you’ve changed jobs, were furloughed, or you’ve made a deal with the seller about any last-minute repair, are important that your agent and lender are notified. Your paperwork must reflect any of these deals, which means you have to keep these relevant people in the know to protect yourself and avoid any delays at closing. 

4. Verify banking information and payment requirements.

Before sending money via wire transfer or a cashier’s check, ask questions about payment requirements and verify that all the information needed for the transfer is correct. 

Aside from your down payment which you have to pay upfront at closing, you also have to cover other closing costs, which means a huge amount of money will be moved around. Aside from making sure that the information is correct, check that the amount needed for closing costs is correct. The title company representative or the attorney will provide you with the exact amount required and how it should be paid, such as by wiring the funds in advance of the appointment.

If the attorney is requesting a wire transfer, remember that those instructions will never be emailed. To avoid falling victim to wire fraud, be vigilant and call the attorney or your real estate agent first to verify the wiring instructions. You want to guarantee that the person contacting you about the transfer of funds is the verified person instead of a scam artist.

5. Don’t hesitate to ask questions before and during closing.

If there are any words or terms you don’t understand? Just ask.

No question is too big or too small, especially when it comes to the complicated world of real estate. Whether it’s your first or even third time buying a home, it’s easy to get scared and overwhelmed. To ease some of that anxiety, call the title company before the closing day and ask them to walk you through the transaction. Clarify any issue that’s been bothering you or anything that’s still unclear about the contract. Don’t forget to also prepare and ask your agent and title officer questions during the closing. All of these measures will help the process go smoothly during closing day.