When looking for that perfect home, many factors should be put into consideration. There's price, accessibility, proximity to a great school district, lower taxes, and others. However, if you’re working in an office, convenience and accessibility are two of the most critical factors you must consider before buying a home. During your home search, you should aim for that balance between a lower housing price and a shorter commute time — unless you’d want to waste countless hours in dreadful traffic every week that should rather be spent with your family or pursuing your hobbies.
According to the Census Bureau, the average commute time to work in the US is 25.4 minutes. But commute times also vary widely depending on location. Some of the metro areas with the longest commute time include New York City, Los Angeles, and Boston, which are obviously highly-populated areas. Apparently, metros which have the shortest commute times are those that have less population density and road congestion.
Consider how much time you spend on your commute
In a Trulia Report, most people said they would like to live closer to work because commuting times keep getting longer each year. Roughly 16% of working Americans picked either a “short commute to work” or “nearby public transportation” as the most important quality of the next neighborhood they would call home.
Before deciding where you want to live, factor your commute into your home buying process. While doing your house-hunting, it would be best to ask your real estate agent to do some research on homes that are closer to your job. Your realtor will help you weigh the pros and cons that can help you make an informed decision on what would be the best home — and commute — for you.
Here's how to factor in your commute time when deciding to buy your dream home:
Calculate your commuting and transportation costs
Transportation costs include how much you spend when you drive a car to and from work — including gasoline, vehicle maintenance, insurance, toll fees, parking, and others. For many Americans, gas is their biggest commuting expense. Meanwhile, your commuting costs amount to how much you spend on public transit, carpool, and others.
According to the Citi ThankYou Premier Commuter Index, the average cost of an American commute is $2,600 a year. Many home buyers don’t even realize how expensive their transportation expenditures can be if they fall in love with a house that takes a long commute to their job. Commuting costs are gradually rising, as well as the price of gas. And the longer your commute time is, the bigger you’ll spend on your travel costs. It’s important to factor in the number of hours you’ll spend in your commute, then add in your transportation and commuting costs.
Consider your job flexibility
Deciding where you’ll buy a home may also depend on your job flexibility. If you have a fixed 9-5 job, then accessibility is a crucial factor. For people who are lucky enough to have flexible work hours, they may adjust their work schedule to avoid the rush hour traffic.
Likewise, telecommuting has now become a new option for many employees. In the 2017 State of Telecommuting in the US Employee Workforce report, roughly 3.9 million employees are now able to telecommute or work from home at least half of time. Those who have that luxury may be inclined to buy a house in the suburbs that require a longer commute.
Weigh in your lifestyle
It’s important to factor in your considerations and priorities in life. Millennials who want access to the nightlife, restaurants and retail centers, or outdoor parks, are most likely to buy in urban areas. They place a high emphasis on both affordability and convenience.
But for those who have a family and are raising young children, they would likely want a short commute so they can spend more time with them. In the NAR Home Buyer and Seller Generational Trends Report 2017, the neighborhood choices of buyers aged 37 to 51 (which make up 28% of recent home buyers) are driven by their convenience to their job and the quality and convenience of school districts.
Commuting stress and its impact on your health
Your health is also a main consideration in relation to your commute time. Recent studies have established that longer commute contributes to work-related stress conditions. The long daily commute can cause both physical and mental health problems, like higher cholesterol and blood sugar levels, neck and back problems, and even anxiety and depression. It also leads to less exercise and less sleep and can be the reason for poor food choices and habits.
Some people won’t mind the long commute because it gives them time to do things they weren’t able to do during normal hours, like listening to new music, podcasts or even watching videos. However, it may cause a wear and tear in the person in the long run.
Effects on over-all work-life balance
Longer commute time may also have an impact on family and marriage and can cause marital problems. Especially for those with a young family or are single parents, you need to carefully consider the proximity of your job to your home so you can maximize your time with your children. A longer commute may also add financial burdens to the family, especially if more members are also commuting.
Prospective homeowners may want to carefully consider their commute time in their home buying decision. Because not only does commuting costs money, but it also sacrifices a lot of time that would be better spent with family or friends, or be used to improve one’s self that contributes to greater work-life balance.

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Counseling Session Activities
- Prepare the buyer for executing a buyer representation agreement
- Explain agency relationships to the buyer and get state required legal consent to represent, if needed
- Inform the buyer of working relationship based on state law, the REALTORS® Code of Ethics, and the broker’s business policies
Building a Relationship
- Learn the buyer’s wants and non-negotiable needs
- Understand the buyer’s budget and what will be needed financially
- Help the buyer understand what property their chosen budget will buy
- Consider having the buyer fill out a homebuyer’s checklist
- Assist the buyer in examining how much they can afford to spend
- Provide quality lender resources
- Partner with the buyer to locate suitable properties for consideration
- Match the buyer’s needs with available property
- Constantly re-evaluate buyer’s needs and refocus property showings to fit those needs
- After ensuring the buyer understands what is done for them, how it is done,and the benefit to them, obtain signatures on the buyer representation agreement
- Explain how compensation is paid, who pays it, and what the buyer’s options are for paying it
Educating the Buyer
- Communicate the working relationship based on state law, the REALTORS® Code of Ethics, and the broker’s business policies
- Explain Federal and State Fair Housing laws
- Explain what to look for in applicable property disclosures
- Reassure the buyer that their personal information will remain confidential
- Inform the buyer that you will always disclose all known material defects
- In accordance with state law, provide information on checking the sex-offender registry and crime statistics for the neighborhood
- Discuss available resources that the buyer can check to learn more about prospective neighborhoods

Preparing the Buyer
- Explain the timeline for house hunting, mortgage approval, and closing
- Explain the local market and how it impacts the buyer
- Show statistics on what percentage of list price sellers in the area are currentlyreceiving
- Inform the buyer on what home features are popular
- Identify current average days on market
- Share the dangers of using the price per square foot to figure home values
- Explain the concept of absorption rate and how it impacts the buying process
- Indicate current listing months of market inventory
- Share estimated potential out-of-pocket costs to complete the transaction
- Assist the buyer in analyzing the loan estimates
- Qualify the buyer for financial ability to purchase
- Help the buyer account for the complete costs of homeownership
- Prepare lender for listing agent calls
- Assist in comparing different financing options
- Help the buyer select for viewing only those homes that fit their needs
- Proceed in showing homes that fit the buyer’s must-haves
- Caution the buyer on posting information to social media
- Review the sample sales contract so the buyer is prepared when it comes time to make an offer
Showing Properties
- Schedule showings and provide access to all listed properties as soon as they become available in their local MLS broker marketplaces
- Educate the buyer on the immediacy of new listings appearing in their local MLS broker marketplaces and the lag time for them to appear on some websites
- Collaborate with the buyer on properties they may have learned about through their sphere contacts
- Research and assist on all unlisted properties the buyer wishes to see
- Preview properties prior to showing if needed
- Network with other agents to source properties not yet in their local MLS broker marketplaces
- Contact homeowners in focus areas to see if they are considering selling
- Set up an automated email alert system through their local MLS broker marketplaces that immediately notifies the buyer of properties that fit discussed requirements
- Arrange a tour of areas, schools, and key points of interest
- Provide resources containing neighborhood information on municipal services,schools, etc.
- Inform the buyer of negative aspects like nearby venues or operations that may result in issues that could impact value
- Collect and share any other vital information on available homes, remembering to follow all fair housing laws at all times
- Check applicable zoning and building restrictions
- Help the buyer decipher public property and tax information
- Collect and share pertinent data on values, taxes, utility costs, etc.
- Compare each property shown to the buyer’s wants and needs list and remind them of what they were looking for
- Help the buyer narrow the search until the buyer identifies top choices
Negotiating Offers
- Assist the buyer in getting the best property at the best price
- Suggest that the buyer learn more about the neighborhood prior to makingan offer
- Prepare a comparative market analysis (CMA) in advance of making an offer
- Prepare the buyer to have the most attractive offer in the current marketplace
- Explain common contract contingencies and include approved protective clauses in the purchase offer
- Ensure that the buyer receives and understands all state and federally-required disclosure forms
- Prioritize contract negotiation goals with the buyer
- Help create a negotiating strategy
- Use strategies such as an escalation clause to maintain a competitive offer
- Prepare the buyer for a multiple offer situation and develop negotiation strategies
- Write an offer that has a reasonable chance of being accepted
- Recommend optional contingencies and explain the pros and cons of using them
- Provide information on purchasing incentives that may be available
- Discuss financing alternatives
- Negotiate the buyer’s offers to arrive at the best price and terms
- Utilize hyperlocal expertise and strong communication skills to assist the buyer in being the successful offer

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