{"id":107181,"date":"2025-10-03T14:35:39","date_gmt":"2025-10-03T21:35:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/?p=107181"},"modified":"2025-10-09T13:47:24","modified_gmt":"2025-10-09T20:47:24","slug":"first-time-homebuying-advice-from-reddit","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/first-time-homebuying-advice-from-reddit\/","title":{"rendered":"14 Tips for First-Time Homebuyers, Straight From Reddit Homeowners"},"content":{"rendered":"

Buying your first home is a thrilling and often overwhelming process. Whether you\u2019re buying a <\/span>home in Seattle, WA<\/span><\/a> or a <\/span>house in Los Angeles, CA<\/span><\/a>, there\u2019s a lot to consider from the initial tour to signing the final paperwork.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

For a first-person perspective, Redfin reached out to <\/span>homeowners on Reddit<\/span><\/a> to ask the one thing they wish they\u2019d known before buying their first home. From shopping around for the best mortgage rate to talking with neighbors to get the inside scoop on the area, these Reddit-sourced tips will help you feel more confident as you step into homeownership.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

1. Shop aggressively for rates<\/span><\/h2>\n

It\u2019s easy to get caught up in the excitement of getting a loan, but make sure you shop around, as this Redditor advises.<\/span><\/p>\n

bespoketranche1: <\/b>\u201cI wish I would\u2019ve shopped for rates aggressively. We were so caught up on finding the right home, that we missed an opportunity to get a lower rate and save ourselves hundreds each month.\u201d<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

2. Introduce yourself to the neighbors<\/span><\/h2>\n

Before putting an offer in, be a good future neighbor and knock on some doors in your neighborhood to get the insider scoop.<\/span><\/p>\n

Rorschach_1:<\/b> \u201cKnock on all the neighbors’ doors and introduce yourself as a potential buyer as a way to \u2018find out.\u2019 Know traffic patterns, East, West, where the sun sets\/rises, wind, etc.\u201d<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

3. Set plans and boundaries for DIY renovations<\/span><\/h2>\n

If planning on doing maintenance yourself, talk with any other parties living in the house to confirm expectations and boundaries around the work.<\/span><\/p>\n

Professional-Cap-822:<\/b> \u201cWe bought an old, beautiful bungalow with plans to do a lot of updates. My husband wanted to do the work himself. I didn\u2019t grow up in houses we owned, so I knew nothing of renovations.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I wish I had known to talk through what he had planned, what it would cost, and how long he thought it would take. Folks should also really consider whether they are okay in living through the mess. And they should make agreements about boundaries around projects.\u201d<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

4. Find joy in the process<\/span><\/h2>\n

Buying a home can be exciting and stressful. Try to find joy whenever you can, as this Redditor explains.<\/span><\/p>\n

LongSupermarket2646<\/b>: \u201cI\u2019m in the industry, and there\u2019s a laundry list of what people should know before buying a home. It\u2019s become one of the most stressful things you\u2019ll do in your lifetime, and it can cause a divorce if you have a hard time finding the joy, happiness, and excitement of what you\u2019re accomplishing \u2013 even when small delays may happen. It\u2019ll be the best reward for everyone involved in your transaction.\u201d<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

5. Know that an inspection might not catch everything<\/span><\/h2>\n

Although home inspections can catch a lot before you close on the house, be prepared that some things can sneak past a standard inspection.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ykohn:<\/b> \u201cI wish I\u2019d known how much can hide outside a standard inspection. Things like sewer lines, drainage, or an undersized electrical panel can cost a fortune later, but don\u2019t always show up on the report.\u201d<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Another Reddit user agreed that they\u2019d have extra inspections done if they could go back in time.<\/span><\/p>\n

Magnificentbunny_:<\/b> \u201cI wish we’d listened to the inspector and gotten all those extra inspections like roof, plumbing, etc. We didn’t realize we could have just gotten people to come out and give us an estimate for fixing those things. You don’t necessarily have to \u2018pay\u2019 for more inspections.\u201d<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

6. Understand your full monthly payment<\/span><\/h2>\n

When buying a home, your monthly housing expenses aren\u2019t just limited to the mortgage. You\u2019ll also be paying taxes, homeowners insurance<\/a>, and HOA fees.<\/span><\/p>\n

LetMany4907:<\/b> \u201cUnderstanding how mortgage rates and closing costs impact monthly payments would\u2019ve saved me a headache. I focused on the sticker price but ignored the long-term payment picture. Running numbers multiple ways and factoring in taxes, insurance, and HOA fees is critical before signing.\u201d<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

7. Hire an arborist if you have mature trees<\/span><\/h2>\n

It can get expensive quickly if you need to have an arborist out to look at your trees. Try to plan ahead before closing on the home.<\/span><\/p>\n

LackVegetable3534<\/b>: \u201cIf the property has a lot of mature trees OR any trees of heaven, have an arborist check everything out. The trees of heaven and any sick or diseased trees will need to be removed, and that is expensive and should be part of your negotiations.\u201d<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

8. Expect the unexpected and work with people you trust<\/span><\/h2>\n

For this Reddit user, it doesn\u2019t hurt to be overprepared and have a rainy day fund in case things come up during your first few months of owning a home.<\/span><\/p>\n

Civil-Shelter9892:<\/b> \u201cI’ve been a realtor for 20+ years, and the first thing I would say is expect the unexpected. In my experience, things often come up that were not found in the inspection or not what the buyers were expecting. Make sure to have some remaining funds or a rainy day fund for the unexpected. Something will come up!!<\/span><\/p>\n

Work with people who you trust and respect. This is often the most important financial decision you will make, usually up until that point. Work with people who have your back. Your mortgage broker, realtor, lawyer, and anyone else like an inspector or contractor are supposed to be there for you. Surround yourself with good people. Don\u2019t just use someone because they are your cousin or because your mom used them; find someone who you feel will help you in what can be a stressful yet exciting time!\u201d<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Another Reddit user made sure to drive home the importance of being prepared for hidden costs.<\/span><\/p>\n

Widelyesoteric<\/b>: \u201cBuying a house has a lot more hidden costs associated with it than you know. Governments can change laws. Increase taxes. Design requirements. Repairs. Weather damage. Theft. Bad neighbors.<\/span><\/p>\n

You don\u2019t just buy a house. You get the homeowner experience. Good and the bad.\u201d<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

9. Consider fire and flood activity<\/span><\/h2>\n

With the increase in fires and <\/span>floods<\/span><\/a> in recent years, where you choose to purchase a home can also affect your insurance options and costs.<\/span><\/p>\n

Poptart4u2: \u201c<\/b>If I had known that insurance companies could cancel based on new fire and flood activity, I would have been more careful in selecting the location of my new home. Lucky for me, so far so good, but I do live in a high-fire area in Southern California and that could change at any time. I know people close to my location who have had their insurance go up by thousands of dollars, which of course, made their mortgage go up too. Now their mortgages are too expensive for them to afford.\u201d<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

10. Take your time to explore each step of the process<\/span><\/h2>\n

Although it\u2019s exciting when you find a home you like, make sure you\u2019re going through each step carefully, as this Redditor touches on.<\/span><\/p>\n

Pale_Natural_7261:<\/b> \u201cI think that during the buying process – some are jumping really quickly because they found the right house. I think it\u2019s really important to take time to understand the process. How long is it going to take from offer to closure? What type of issues come up if buying an old house vs new build? How do I build the right team to buy a house? Is a realtor enough? Should I use my brother to do the inspection (the answer is always no), etc. There are so many aspects of homeownership that are overlooked, and sometimes even with the best intentions forward, there is not enough time to explore all the aspects. I think one thing that is definitely doable: be curious, ask questions, not just about where and the price, but how!\u201d<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

11. Question anything that looks out of the ordinary<\/span><\/h2>\n

When doing a walkthrough of the house, make sure to point out anything that looks strange. Don\u2019t be afraid to ask questions.<\/span><\/p>\n

skoltroll: \u201c<\/b>Do a detailed inspection yourself. Why is that ceiling cracked? Can you prove when the mechanicals were last serviced\/upgraded? How old is the roof? What are these water stains? Does the insulation in the attic look good? Compare disclosure to what you see. Is it downplaying issues? Is the grading of the land outside going away from the foundation?<\/span><\/p>\n

This may not change your mind on the purchase, but it should put you in a solid place to know what you’re buying, and know what you’re willing to accept as far as future maintenance.<\/span><\/p>\n

tl;dr: <\/span>Screw cosmetic updates. Prove the basics are solid.<\/i><\/b>\u201d<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

For one Reddit user, looking under a suspiciously placed dish towel could have saved a headache down the line.<\/span><\/p>\n

FewTelevision3921:<\/b> \u201cTo look under the decorative dish towel, laying lovingly over the edge of the countertop, that when not there after buying allowed me to see that there was a 3 inch chunk of laminate missing underneath.\u201d<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

12. Buying early can help you build equity<\/span><\/h2>\n

If you can afford it, buying a home early can help you start building equity instead of paying rent instead of paying rent without a future return.<\/span><\/p>\n

Simple-Airport1357:<\/b> \u201cI wish I had bought my first home years before I did. Instead, I spent my 20\u2019s renting and paying someone else\u2019s mortgage. When I did the math, I realized I paid over $500,000 in rent in that decade. That\u2019s half a million dollars I\u2019ll never get back.\u201d<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

13. Make sure to include the little things in your inspection<\/span><\/h2>\n

Aside from the bigger systems getting checked, it\u2019s easy to overlook the smaller things like windows not opening, as this Redditor explains.<\/span><\/p>\n

ansibley:<\/b> \u201cJust sold my departed mother’s house. Her inspector had me repair a window that didn’t stay up correctly. So I just assumed when I found a new house this month that my inspector would do that, too. Nope. Don’t forget the little things amongst the big systems checked! The house I just closed on today I found out a few hours later had only 5 of 11 windows that I can open.\u201d<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

14. Check any storage rooms or garages during the final walkthrough<\/span><\/h2>\n

Before closing, make sure you check any place where unwanted items could be stored. There might be something hiding in the garage you don\u2019t want to deal with.<\/span><\/p>\n

RTMichigan24: \u201c<\/b>Always check the garage & any storage rooms on the final walkthrough. People are lazy and put their old stuff there instead of the curb..\u201d<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Bottom line: you can\u2019t be overprepared<\/span><\/h2>\n

When it comes to first-time homebuying, it\u2019s always helpful to be overprepared. Don\u2019t be afraid to ask questions during the process to ensure you\u2019re getting correct information and nothing is getting swept under the rug. Homebuying can be stressful, but being prepared can help mitigate that stress and the chances of anything unexpected coming up in the future.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Reddit users share their tips for buying your first home, ranging from hiring an arborist to introducing yourself to the neighbors. 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