Home Buying Tips
5 Steps to Finding Your Next Home
Finding Lake Norman, NC Homes for Sale
Steps to Finding Your Next Home – Lake Norman Real Estate for Sale – Explore Lake Norman Homes
Whether you’re a First-Time Buyer or a seasoned homeowner, shopping for a New Construction Lake Norman Real Estate Home can feel daunting. In fact, 56% of buyers said that “finding the right property” was the most difficult step in the home buying process.1
Buying a Lake Norman Waterfront Home is a significant commitment of both time and money. And a home purchase has the power to improve both your current quality of life and your future financial security, so the stakes are high.
Follow these five steps—and complete the corresponding worksheet offered below—to assess your priorities, streamline your search, and choose your next home with confidence.
STEP 1: Set Your Goals and Priorities – “Know what City, Town, Location you desire.”
The first Home Buying Tips to finding your ideal home is determining WHY you want to move. Do you need more space? Access to better schools? Less maintenance? Or are you tired of throwing money away on rent when you could be building equity? Pinpointing the reasons why you want to move can help you assess your priorities for your home search.
Don’t forget to think about how your circumstances might change over the next few years. Do you expect to switch jobs? Have more children? Get a pet? A good rule of thumb is to choose a house that will meet your family’s needs for at least the next five to seven years.
STEP 2: Determine Your Budget – “Talk to a Real Estate Lender before you begin”
Many financial professionals recommend following the “28/36 Rule” to determine how much you can afford to spend on a home. The rule states that you should spend no more than 28% of your gross monthly income on housing expenses (e.g., mortgage, taxes, insurance) and a maximum of 36% of your gross monthly income on your total debt obligations (i.e., housing expenses PLUS any other debt obligations, like car loans, student loans, credit card debt, etc.).3
Of course, the 28/36 rule only provides a rough guideline. Getting pre-qualified or pre-approved by a Real Estate Lender BEFORE you begin shopping for homes will give you a much more accurate idea of how much you can borrow. Add your pre-approved mortgage amount to your downpayment to find out your maximum purchasing potential.
STEP 3: Choose a Location – “Which town around LKN do you want to be a part of?”
When it comes to home buying tips, WHERE you choose to buy is just as important as WHAT you choose to buy.
Do you prefer a rural, urban, or suburban setting? How long of a commute are you willing to make? Which neighborhoods feed into your favorite schools? These decisions will impact your day-to-day life while you live in the home.
Another important factor to consider is how the area is likely to appreciate over time. Choosing the right neighborhood can raise the profit potential of your home when it comes time to sell. Look for communities that are well maintained with high home-ownership rates, low crime rates, and access to good schools, desired retail establishments, and top employers.
STEP 4: Decide Which Features You Need (Want) in a Home – Waterfront/Side, Home vs. Condo/Townhome, Garage, Acerage, etc.
Start with the basics, like your ideal number of bedrooms, bathrooms, and square footage. Do you prefer a one-story or two-story layout? Do you want a swimming pool?
Keep in mind, you may not find a home with all of your “wants,” or even all of your “needs” … at least not at a price you can afford. The reality is, most of us have to make a few compromises when it comes to buying a home.
Some buyers will opt for a longer commute to get a larger, newer home in the suburbs. Others will sacrifice hardwood floors or an updated kitchen so that their kids can attend their desired school.
If you’re faced with a tough choice about how or what to compromise in your home search, return to STEP 1. What were your original goals and motivations for moving? Reminding yourself of your true priorities can often provide the clarity that you need.
STEP 5: Meet with a Real Estate Agent – Meet with a Member of The Martin Real Estate Team of Lake Norman
A good real estate agent can remove much of the stress and uncertainty from the home search process. Home Buying Tips include setting goals to securing a loan to selecting the best neighborhood to meet your needs, we will be there to assist you every step of the way.
And no one has more access to home listings, past sales data, or market statistics than a professional agent. We can set up a customized search that alerts you as soon as a new listing you might like goes live. Better yet, we get notified about many of the hottest homes even BEFORE they hit the market.
You might guess that the Lake Norman VIP Buyer Program service we provide is very expensive. Well, the good news is, we can represent you throughout the entire home buying process at NO COST to you. It’s true; the home seller pays a buyer agent’s fee at closing. So you can benefit from our time, experience, and expertise without paying a dime. It’s no wonder 87% of buyers choose to purchase their home with the help of an agent.1
And although we’ve listed it here as STEP 5, the reality is, it’s never too early (or too late) to contact an agent about buying a home. Whether you plan to buy today, next month, or next year, there are steps you can (and should) be taking to prepare for your purchase.
LKN Waterfront Homes for Sale
Lake Norman homes
Listings 1 - 20 of 103 next →
Price: $6,900,000 (5540 sqft)
Subdivision: Flagship
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Terri Mayhew | MLS # 4225782 | Active
Price: $1,859,000 (5257 sqft)
Subdivision: Crescent Land and Timber
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Willard Leach | MLS # 4337466 | Active
1890 Yacht Club Drive -- 11 BR, 9.3 BAPrice: $15,000,000 (5162 sqft)
Subdivision: Lincoln Forest
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Howard Hanna Allen | MLS # 4305437 | Active
18019 Harbor Light Boulevard -- 6 BR, 7.4 BAPrice: $14,500,000 (15048 sqft)
Subdivision: The Peninsula
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Premier Sotheby's | MLS # 3895525 | Active
440 Beech Tree Road -- 5 BR, 6.2 BAPrice: $12,000,000 (7612 sqft)
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Corcoran HM Properties | MLS # 4293759 | Active
17235 Connor Quay Court -- 6 BR, 6.4 BAPrice: $10,995,000 (14587 sqft)
Subdivision: Connor Quay
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Corcoran HM Properties | MLS # 4291323 | Active
16921 Jetton Road -- 7 BR, 7.5 BAPrice: $9,595,000 (9712 sqft)
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Ivester Jackson | MLS # 4191237 | Active
22554 John Gamble Road -- 5 BR, 5.1 BAPrice: $8,250,000 (6704 sqft)
Subdivision: Country Club Shores
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Better Homes and | MLS # 4259378 | Active
2536 Brawley School Road -- 4 BR, 5.2 BAPrice: $7,750,000 (6837 sqft)
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Ivester Jackson | MLS # 4340912 | Active
172 Tennessee Circle -- 5 BR, 5.4 BAPrice: $7,500,000 (8763 sqft)
Subdivision: Northwood
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Ivester Jackson | MLS # 4252701 | Active
126 Saylors Watch Lane -- 6 BR, 6.1 BAPrice: $6,995,000 (6275 sqft)
Subdivision: Saylors Watch
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Keller Williams | MLS # 4352560 | Active
4516 Slanting Bridge Road -- 3 BR, 2 BAPrice: $6,885,000 (1494 sqft)
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RE/MAX Executive | MLS # 4189074 | Active
1168 Fern Hill Road -- 4 BR, 5.1 BAPrice: $6,768,780 (4640 sqft)
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Premier Sotheby's | MLS # 4351598 | Active
8397 Ranger Island Marina Road -- 7 BR, 7.2 BAPrice: $6,750,000 (7600 sqft)
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Grandfather Homes Inc. | MLS # 4250240 | Active
17811 Largo Place -- 5 BR, 5.3 BAPrice: $6,550,000 (6449 sqft)
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SERHANT | MLS # 4305488 | Active
406 Morrison Farm Road -- 5 BR, 6.2 BAPrice: $6,499,999 (7085 sqft)
Subdivision: Morrison Pointe North
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COMPASS | MLS # 4349046 | Active
124 Lightship Drive -- 5 BR, 5.3 BAPrice: $6,450,000 (8719 sqft)
Subdivision: The Point
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Premier Sotheby's | MLS # 4343691 | Active
8170 Bay Pointe Drive -- 5 BR, 5.1 BAPrice: $6,450,000 (9434 sqft)
Subdivision: West Bay
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Ivester Jackson | MLS # 4353469 | Active
7 Serenity Cove Place -- 5 BR, 6.2 BAPrice: $6,195,000 (5387 sqft)
Subdivision: Rebeccas Reserve
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Howard Hanna Allen | MLS # 4310291 | Active
16407 Jetton Road -- 5 BR, 4.2 BAPrice: $5,750,000 (6901 sqft)
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EXP Realty LLC | MLS # 4326392 | Active
Listings 1 - 20 of 103 next →
LKN Waterfront Condos for Sale
Lake Norman condos
Listings 1 - 20 of 38 next →
Price: $1,775,000 (4123 sqft)
Complex: Cove Key
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Jayne Cantello | MLS # 4344148 | Active
Price: $649,900 (1217 sqft)
Complex: The Moorings
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Michael Toste | MLS # 4294074 | Contract
Price: $595,000 (1320 sqft)
Complex: Schooner Bay
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Jack Beckman | MLS # 4334226 | Active
Price: $418,000 (1097 sqft)
Complex: Baybridge
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Kathy Day | MLS # 4302970 | Active
18525 Vineyard Point Lane -- 3 BR, 3 BAPrice: $1,350,000 (1886 sqft)
Complex: Vineyard Point
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NorthGroup Real | MLS # 4344393 | Active
18521 Vineyard Point Lane -- 3 BR, 2.1 BAPrice: $1,250,000 (1898 sqft)
Complex: Vineyard Point
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Select Premium | MLS # 4355934 | Active
17929 Kings Point Drive -- 3 BR, 3 BAPrice: $1,028,000 (2114 sqft)
Complex: Biscayne
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Coldwell Banker Realty | MLS # 4351327 | Contract
633 Portside Drive -- 3 BR, 2 BAPrice: $998,500 (1357 sqft)
Complex: Portside
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NorthGroup Real | MLS # 4275379 | Active
17925 Kings Point Drive -- 3 BR, 3 BAPrice: $889,000 (2063 sqft)
Complex: Kings Point Marina
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Keller Williams Lake | MLS # 4352349 | Active
529 Catspaw Road -- 4 BR, 3.1 BAPrice: $785,000 (2524 sqft)
Complex: Catspaw
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Madison & Company | MLS # 4337547 | Active
17810 Half Moon Lane -- 3 BR, 2 BAPrice: $744,900 (1407 sqft)
Complex: Half Moon Bay
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EXP Realty LLC | MLS # 4248678 | Contract
637 Williamson Road -- 3 BR, 2 BAPrice: $725,000 (1724 sqft)
Complex: Harbor Point Village
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Century 21 Lawrie | MLS # 4009846 | Contract
18511 Harborside Drive -- 3 BR, 2 BAPrice: $694,000 (1439 sqft)
Complex: Harborside
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Charlotte Metro Real | MLS # 4274110 | Active
18525 Harborside Drive -- 3 BR, 2 BAPrice: $689,900 (1434 sqft)
Complex: Harborside
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Ivester Jackson | MLS # 4325069 | Active
18631 Harborside Drive -- 3 BR, 2 BAPrice: $675,000 (1417 sqft)
Complex: Harborside
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Showcase Realty LLC | MLS # 4349556 | Active
637 Williamson Road -- 3 BR, 2.1 BAPrice: $669,000 (1602 sqft)
Complex: Harbor Point Village
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Century 21 Lawrie | MLS # 3920590 | Contract
1113 Torrence Circle -- 2 BR, 2 BAPrice: $659,000 (1163 sqft)
Complex: South Harbortowne
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Lake Norman Realty, | MLS # 4337531 | Active
7822 Village Harbor Drive -- 3 BR, 2 BAPrice: $648,900 (1415 sqft)
Complex: Villages at Harborside
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RE/MAX Executive | MLS # 4351828 | Coming soon
18673 Vineyard Point Lane -- 3 BR, 2 BAPrice: $629,000 (1117 sqft)
Complex: The Arbors
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Southern Charm Realty | MLS # 4304658 | Active
17811 Half Moon Lane -- 2 BR, 2 BAPrice: $600,000 (1203 sqft)
Complex: Half Moon Bay
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SERHANT | MLS # 4351098 | Contract
Listings 1 - 20 of 38 next →
The Martin Real Estate Team of Lake Norman
The Martin Real Estate Team of Lake Norman is here to help and answer all of your Real Estate Needs and Questions 7 days a week.
Questions, or would you like to receive more information about a Buying a Home for Sale, or interested in Listing your home for Sale, simply fill out the Our Contact Form or for a faster response you can also call the Lake Norman Specialists at 704-900-1619 right now!
- Schedule a Showing Request HERE
Please Visit: Lake Norman Real Estate Blog
Sign Up: VIP Home Buyers Program
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