Are you planning to buy a home in the next 6–12 months and wondering what steps you should take now?
The best way to prepare to buy a home is to start planning early. By organizing your finances, setting clear goals, and understanding the process ahead of time, you can make your home purchase smoother, less stressful, and more successful.
If you're beginning your journey, I created a comprehensive planner to help you get started. You can download the full Home Buying Planner and Tracker here:
https://annieoakman.myflodesk.com/homeplanner
Why Preparing Early Makes Buying a Home Easier
Many buyers start searching for homes before they fully prepare financially or strategically. But the reality is that the most successful buyers begin planning months before they start touring homes.
Preparing early helps you:
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Understand your budget
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Improve your credit if needed
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Save for your down payment and closing costs
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Clarify what you actually want in a home
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Feel confident when it's time to make an offer
Buying a home is one of the biggest financial decisions you’ll make, and having a structured plan can make the entire experience far less overwhelming.
That’s exactly why I created my Home Buying Planner and Tracker; to guide you step by step through the preparation process.
Download it here to get started:
https://annieoakman.myflodesk.com/homeplanner
Step 1: Get Clear on Your Home Buying Goals
Before you start looking at listings, it’s important to understand why you want to buy a home and what your timeline looks like.
Your preparation should include questions like:
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Why do you want to purchase a home?
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What is your ideal timeline for buying?
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How long do you plan to stay in the home?
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What features are must-haves vs. nice-to-haves?
The planner includes goal-setting prompts that help you think through these questions so your home search stays focused and intentional.
When you know your goals, it becomes much easier to narrow down the right properties and neighborhoods.
Step 2: Understand Your Finances
One of the most important steps when you prepare to buy a home is getting a clear picture of your finances.
That means tracking:
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Your income
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Monthly expenses
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Existing debt
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Current savings
The planner includes expense trackers and budgeting worksheets to help you break down your finances and identify where you can save more toward your home purchase.
This step is especially helpful for buyers planning to purchase in the next 6–12 months, because small adjustments now can make a big difference by the time you're ready to buy.
Step 3: Plan for the True Costs of Buying a Home
Many buyers focus only on the purchase price, but there are several other costs to prepare for when buying a home.
These may include:
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Down payment
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Closing costs
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Home inspection
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Moving expenses
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Initial home maintenance
For example, closing costs alone often range from 2–5% of the home’s purchase price, depending on the property and financing.
The planner includes dedicated worksheets to help you calculate and track:
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Down payment savings
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Closing costs savings
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Emergency funds
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Home maintenance reserves
If you're planning ahead, these tools can make the financial side of buying a home far less intimidating.
You can download the planner here to walk through these numbers step by step:
https://annieoakman.myflodesk.com/homeplanner
Step 4: Start Preparing for the Home Search
Once your financial foundation is in place, the next stage is preparing for the actual home search.
The tracker section of the guide includes tools for:
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Creating your wants vs. needs list
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Tracking homes you tour
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Comparing properties
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Evaluating pros and cons of different homes
These tools help buyers stay organized and make confident decisions once they begin viewing homes.
Instead of relying on memory alone, you’ll have a structured way to compare properties and evaluate what truly fits your goals.
Ready to Start Preparing for Your Home Purchase?
If you're thinking about buying a home in Massachusetts or Connecticut, I'm always happy to help guide you through the process.
Download the planner to get started, and feel free to reach out if you have questions about preparing for your home purchase.
Annie Oakman
Real Estate Salesperson | Media Realty
