Buying a house is an emotional process. It will determine where you live, how far you will be commuting to work and what schools your kids will attend. You will have to be sure that whatever home you purchase that you can still make ends meet and that you have made a rational decision.

There are a few mistakes that you may want to try to avoid when considering a home. These tips will help you avoid the pitfall of buying the wrong home.

Loving a home that is beyond your means

Keep in mind that when starting the search for a home, you must not fall in love with one that is beyond what you can afford. Dreaming of the house with the jetted tub, spa and pool in the spacious backyard or the elaborate kitchen with high grade appliances can only hurt.

Avoid considering homes that are too far out of your reach. Your pocketbook is going to take a hit when purchasing a home due to now owing a mortgage payment. To keep your head out of the clouds, only look at homes that are within your price range and even consider starting to look at ones at the lower end of your price range first.

Do not become set on the fact that only one house will suit your needs

While looking through subdivisions, you may come across the house of your dreams. Before signing on the dotted line, consider other homes that are in the same subdivision or area. It is quite possible it was the same builder that constructed the homes and the same model even might be out there. You may find the same home at a reduced cost or a similar home that could also suit your needs.

Choosing a place that does not fit

Be careful not to buy a home that you are not ready to accept. You do not want to rush into buying a home to win a bidding war or because you are convinced that the right home is just not out there for you.

Buying a home that does not fit can be costly to get rid of at a later date. You will have to pay fees to sell it again and more fees to purchase a new home.

Consider also that if you purchase a home that you are not satisfied with but think you can fix up, that renovations can be costly and stressful.

If you have the option to wait, delay your search or just keep looking until you can find a home you will be happy with.

Failing to notice major flaws

Take into consideration any possible defects with the home before buying. Home repairs are often expensive, especially if you are not handy yourself. It may be prudent to wait. New homes come on the market on a daily basis.

Don’t think you are a handyman if you are not

Do not go into purchasing a home with the notion that you are handy and can fix anything. Homebuyers will often think that if they buy a home in need of repairs that they can dig right in and fix it themselves for a lot less than a contractor. This can lead to much frustration when you realize that you cannot fix it yourself, you have spent money and time on the necessary supplies and you now have to hire a contractor. The contractor will cost more money and your frustration level will be high.

If there is a lot of repair that needs to be done to a home that you are considering, you must also budget for those repairs or pass up on this house.

Making an offer too quickly

Sometimes the thrill of a bidding war in a hot market or a bank owned home that is a dirt cheap price can lead us to make quick, unrealistic decisions. Be sure that even though the home is appealing that the neighborhood is safe and it is close to amenities that are important to you. Investigate the surrounding area and make sure the home is really worth the asking price.

Making an offer too slowly

Taking the time to carefully consider one of the largest purchases of your life is certainly important but stalling too long may cost you the home you had been hoping for. Do not prolong the home purchase unnecessarily because if you wait too long, someone else may jump on the same property more quickly.

Offering an excessive price

It is easy to get sucked into a bidding war. The war may result in paying more that what the house is worth and the bank appraisal may list the home worth less than what you are offering to pay. If that is the case, the bank may not offer you the entire mortgage amount needed and you will have to come out-of-pocket with the additional funds.

Another consideration is if you pay an exorbitant amount for a home, when it comes time to sell the house again, you may not get what you paid or make a profit.