Officially. I like that.

According to me, the official home search starts when you are pre-approved for a mortgage, have a number in mind and are actively searching for a home, that is, going out with some regularity with your Realtor to look at houses in a specific area you have selected as wanting to live in which has homes that fit your criteria.

This search should begin approximately two – four months before you want to love in to the house. Why so long? Escrow lasts about 30 – 45 days. And unless you are going to devote every waking minute to heading out looking at homes (most clients go out once a week) you will take on an average two to three times of going out before you make an offer. If that offer does not work out for some reason you will want to begin the search again.

Depending on how fast inventory is moving and what area you are looking in, it will take you about two months to find the right home and then another month to close on it. So plan accordingly. Traditionally, the summer months see the most activity because people like to move school children out to another school before the year begins again.

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