2 Things To Do Before Going House-Hunting

By Dave Zajdzinski

Dave Zajdzinski and the team bring 40 + years of real estate experience to home buyers and sellers throughout Arizona.

Buying a home is one of the most critical financial and personal decisions you will make. It’s exciting, but it can also bring plenty of questions. How do you balance location, budget, and features? How do you make sure you’re financially ready before making an offer? Without a clear plan, the process can easily lead to stress or disappointment.

Over time, I’ve learned that focusing on just a couple of simple yet powerful preparations can make the entire journey smoother and more successful. These are practical steps any buyer can take to stay confident, clear, and ready when the right home comes along.

1. Define your buyer triangle. The buyer triangle focuses on three factors: location, price, and features. These are the elements that matter most to every buyer, but unless your budget is unlimited, you cannot control all three. At best, you can prioritize two of them, while the market dictates the third.

For example, some buyers may value location and price above all else, which means they will need flexibility on features. Others may care more about features and price, leaving location as the variable that changes. Clarifying which two are non-negotiable keeps the process objective and prevents frustration.

I’ve seen situations where buyers realized that a home with incredible features and a great price required trade-offs in location. When they compared alternatives, they recognized that achieving all three priorities would have required doubling or even tripling their budget. By agreeing on priorities in advance, buyers avoid unnecessary conflict and disappointment.

The buyer triangle also allows couples, families, or even professionals working together to get on the same page. Instead of debating why a particular home does not work, everyone can see which priorities are being met and which are not. This framework creates focus and prevents wasted time.

2. Get fully underwritten. The next step is to secure a fully underwritten loan approval before looking at homes. This goes beyond a basic pre-qualification or pre-approval. A full underwriting review means the lender has examined tax returns, pay stubs, bank statements, credit reports, and even insurance premiums to determine your exact borrowing capacity and monthly payment.

This preparation provides several key advantages:

• You know precisely what your budget is and what your monthly payment will be.

• You avoid the disappointment of touring homes outside your price range.

• You gain credibility with sellers, since a fully underwritten approval shows you are a serious and qualified buyer.

Many buyers wait until they’ve already found a home before beginning the loan process, and that delay can cause stress, setbacks, or even lost opportunities. Being fully underwritten from the start changes everything. It allows you to present a stronger offer, move quickly, and negotiate with confidence. Sellers and their agents take your offer more seriously when they know your financing is already secured.

The home-buying process rewards preparation. Defining your buyer triangle helps you set clear priorities, while securing a fully underwritten loan gives you the confidence and leverage to make stronger offers. With these steps in place, you can move forward knowing you’re ready to act when the right home comes along.

If you’re ready to take the next step toward a successful purchase, call me at 480-332-6468 or email me at dave@zteamaz.com. Talk to you soon!