I Want to Buy a House in 6 Months. Here's What I'm Doing Now

This is the to-do list that never ends, yes it goes on and on my friend…

Considering the sheer size of the purchase, it's no real surprise that buying a house is a complicated business. It's something many folks need to plan for months, if not years. 

And that's where I'm at. I want to buy a house at the end of the summer. What's more, that house is 10 states away, meaning I'm doing a good bit of it remotely -- then making a massive move.

Although I won't be actively touring homes for a little while yet, there's still plenty to do now. Here's what I'm focusing on at the six-month point.

Planning: Prequalification and research

No purchase this large can be made without a good deal of planning. At this stage, my plans involve setting a budget and figuring out my target area.

The role of prequalification

There are a few different stages of getting a mortgage. The key stage is pre-approval, which is when the bank basically says, "Yes, we'll give you this much money, go ahead and put in offers on houses."

But before that part, there's prequalification. Prequalifying for a mortgage is a good way to get the sort of outer limits of your house budget.

This is a super basic, not-in-depth-at-all form that gives you a vague estimate of what you could potentially qualify for when you actually apply. It uses a soft credit check that won't impact your credit score.

Researching areas and markets

At this point, I already have a general idea of where I want to buy a house. But by this, I mean I know the roughly 50-square-miles I want to be within. Since we're talking about a fairly dense area, this covers a good dozen or so cities and towns.

So, I'm doing my research. I'm looking at general housing costs, at what's nearby -- at what isn't. While I would like to stay flexible on location, I know some sections of my target area are simply out of my budget, while others may lack some must-haves. This is all important information to know so that my future real estate agent can find my best fit.

Prepping: Finding an agent, savings, credit

In addition to lots of planning and research, I'm also preparing what I can. This includes finding a reliable agent, saving for my down payment, and ensuring my credit is looking its best.

Soliciting real estate agent recommendations

As a first-time home buyer, I admittedly don't have much experience with real estate agents. Luckily, I have trustworthy folks in my target area who can help me find a good agent. I'll be asking for recommendations and getting into contact to find an eminently competent agent with whom I am comfortable.

Saving like a squirrel before winter

Six months can feel like a long time, but in terms of savings -- well, it's basically no time at all. So I'm stocking away savings like I need a food cache to get me through winter. All nonessential purchases have been put on hold. I've even cut out a few takeout meals each month. It's an all-funds-on-deck sort of situation.

It's not just my down payment I need to pad, either. I'll also have closing costs to consider (which experts say average between 2% and 5% of your purchase price). And, of course, moving halfway across the country isn't going to be cheap. I'm looking at another $5,000 (or more) for moving expenses alone.

Polishing my credit until it shines

Despite the fact that I have more than a dozen credit cards, my credit reports are actually in excellent shape. That's because I always pay my cards in full and on time, which keeps my score shining. 

But I'm going to need to be extra careful in the coming months with a mortgage application on the way. Which is why I've put into a place a moratorium on new credit cards. 

Now, I love opening new cards. I usually do so at least every few months to ensure I'm always working on a new sign-up bonus. But I don't want to have to try to explain all this to a suspicious lending agent as they go over my credit with the proverbial fine-toothed comb. It’s easier to put a pause on new accounts until after we close. (Then I'll probably pick up a new card for all the big buys involved in moving into a new house!)

Packing: Decluttering and prioritizing

Last, but by no means least, is doing what I can to prepare for the big move. While it wouldn't make sense to start packing things in earnest -- I don't think I can go six months without my pots and pans, for instance -- there are plenty of things I can do in the meantime.

The biggest thing on my pre-packing list? Decluttering.

My current abode is what we'll call lived in. I have piles and stacks and overflowing bookshelves galore. Since the very idea of moving everything is enough to make a professional mover balk, I'm taking stock and making some tough decisions now.

Because, let's face it, I probably don't actually need to pack and move the blender I replaced two years ago but never actually got rid of -- or the vacuum of similar provenance.

This is all to say, even though I am many moons from my move, there's still plenty to do. If you're planning a home purchase this year, make sure you're already on your own to-do list, too.