Buying a home is one of the biggest financial decisions you’ll ever make — and it’s easy to get caught up in the excitement. While, according to NBC News, the nation’s housing market remains far out of reach for many would-be buyers, many are still approaching that stage of being ready.
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But before you finalize the deal, there are a few smart purchases that can give you clarity, confidence and potentially save you thousands.
It might just be the best money you spend on the entire journey to homeownership.
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A Homebuyer Education Course
According to Andrew Gosselin, certified personal accountant (CPA), personal finance expert and senior contributor at Save My Cent, one of the smartest things someone can do before buying a house is spend a little money upfront on learning how the whole process works.
“A homebuyer education course, which usually costs somewhere between $35 and $125 dollars, is probably the best starting point,” he said. These courses go through everything you actually need to know, not just the fun parts like choosing a house, but also the numbers, the paperwork and the stuff that can trip you up later if you skip it.
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Even better, some lenders and first-time buyer programs require proof of completing one. So for a relatively small fee, you’re getting the knowledge and possibly unlocking better loan options or down payment help. “That alone makes it more than worth it,” Gosselin added.
What Gosselin also likes about these courses is how they cover the full picture. They’ll walk you through what kind of mortgage might make the most sense based on your income, show you how to make a realistic budget and explain the difference between what the bank says you can afford and what actually makes sense for your lifestyle.
He said a lot of people get surprised by all the hidden costs that come with homeownership (insurance, maintenance, taxes) and these courses prepare you for that ahead of time. “They usually recommend keeping your monthly housing costs at or below 30% of your income, which is solid advice most people overlook,” he explained.
Hiring a Financial Planner
If your financial situation is more complicated or you just want to be sure you’re not missing anything, Gosselin said it’s worth considering a meeting with a financial planner.
“This can cost anywhere from $120 to $300 dollars per hour, depending on who you go to,” he said. “It’s not cheap, but it’s useful when you’ve got things like student loans, freelance income or big career changes on the horizon.”
A good planner, he explained, will help you figure out your debt-to-income ratio, advise you on how much to put down without draining your savings and make sure you’ve got enough of an emergency fund left over. These are the kinds of things that can either set you up for long-term success or put you in a tough spot after the deal closes.
According to Gosselin, you don’t necessarily need a full financial plan that costs thousands. “One solid session that focuses on the home purchase alone can go a long way,” he said.
Let’s say you spend $75 on a certified homebuyer course and then tack on a $200 session with a planner. That’s a total investment of $275 dollars. Not nothing, but in the grand scheme of buying a home, it’s tiny and it can help you avoid expensive mistakes like buying more house than you can handle or taking a loan with unfavorable terms.
“In my opinion, this is money well spent. It prepares you, gives you confidence and puts you in a better position to negotiate or make decisions quickly when the right place comes along,” he added.
High-Quality Home Inspection
As a certified master inspector — Fred Rodrigues, who works at Damngood Inspection, strongly believes that the best money a homebuyer can spend before closing is on a high-quality home inspection. “For just a few hundred dollars, buyers can uncover major hidden issues that could cost tens of thousands down the line,” he said.
Just recently, he inspected a home in Orlando for a young couple buying their first house. They opted for a full inspection with a sewer scope add-on, which totaled around $700. That small investment revealed a collapsed sewer line beneath the property — something the seller hadn’t disclosed. A plumber later confirmed that the repair would have cost them nearly $10,000 if they hadn’t caught it before closing.
“That inspection didn’t just save them from financial disaster — it gave them negotiating power to have the seller take care of the problem or walk away from the deal. Either way, they came out on top,” Rodrigues added.
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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: The Best $100 to $700 You Can Spend Before Buying a House
