Buying a house can be extremely daunting for many people. Countless worries and issues could pop up out of nowhere.
From establishing a budget to getting pre-approved for a mortgage, many roadblocks stop us from owning our dream home. That’s why people seeking to own a house should develop practical goals.
Having a blueprint would ensure better decision-making. More specifically, SMART goals can help increase your chances of succeeding.
Understanding how to create SMART goals is instrumental in reaching your housing goals. This post will cover what SMART goals are and list a few examples of SMART goals for buying a house.
What is a SMART Goal?
As you search for your perfect home, consider applying SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-based) goals.
These goals can drastically increase your likelihood of meeting your homeownership goals. For more clarity, here is a deeper explanation of what all 5 SMART components mean:
Specific
Broad goals are too ambiguous and difficult to accomplish. That’s why specific goals will make the house-buying process more smooth. You’ll narrow in on precisely what you’re aiming to attain and direct your efforts on where it matters most.
Measurable
In order to determine if you’re on track to goal completion, it’s crucial to have metrics to assess your progress.
For instance, if your goal is to find the right real estate agent, you could have a metric like interviewing at least three agents. This way, you can verify whether you’re close to reaching the goal or behind schedule.
Attainable
Ambitious goals are impressive, but they are challenging to accomplish. If you set unrealistic goals repeatedly, your goal of buying a house will be far from reach. At that point, you may lose fuel and become discouraged.
To illustrate, wanting to buy a $30,000,000 mansion while you only have $500 in your bank account is unrealistic; you will probably fail.
It is much better to develop a realistic and challenging goal that can be met. Hence, as you search for the perfect dream home, aim for goals that fall in the middle between challenging and achievable.
Relevant
Your goals must always be pertinent to your overall vision and values. Buying a house could relate to your desire to climb onto the real estate agent. Or, you may want a spacious living environment for your family. Whatever it is, make sure your goals contribute to long-term success.
Time-Based
All goals should have a deadline to determine failure or success. Of course, the deadline should be realistic and specific. Attempting to achieve too much in a short time would lead to loss.
So give yourself enough breathing room to accomplish your goals realistically. That will help create a sense of urgency to hit your target by the end date.
11 SMART Goals Examples for Buying a House
Below you will find 11 SMART goals examples to help you buy a house:
1. Improve Credit Score
“I hope to improve my credit score by paying off my debts. I will create a detailed plan to pay off my debts by the end of 6 months.”
Specific: You will improve your credit score by focusing on paying off debts.
Measurable: You can measure progress by the amount of debt you’ve paid off.
Attainable: This goal is reasonable if you develop a solid plan to pay off your debts.
Relevant: Paying off your debts will improve your credit score and ability to secure a mortgage loan.
Time-based: You will focus on paying off your debts within 6 months.
2. Save for a Down Payment
“I will save $20,000 for a down payment on a house within two years. I’ll set up a savings account and automate my monthly payments to save without thinking about it. I will also look for ways to make extra money to reach my goal faster.”
Specific: This statement explains how the person will save $20,000 for a down payment on a house.
Measurable: You can track your progress by looking at your bank balance and seeing how much you’ve saved.
Attainable: Saving $20,000 for a down payment is a reasonable goal.
Relevant: Recognize that a down payment is necessary to buy a house.
Time-based: The goal is to save money by the end of two years.
3. Get Pre-Approved for a Mortgage
“I want to get pre-approved for a mortgage to buy a house within the next year. I’ll talk to my bank and get all the necessary paperwork together. I will research different mortgage options to find the best one for me.”
Specific: You know exactly what you need to do—get pre-approved for a mortgage.
Measurable: Check off each task as you complete it—getting paperwork together, talking to your bank, and researching options.
Attainable: Getting pre-approved for a mortgage is definitely possible.
Relevant: This goal is directly related to your objective of buying a house.
Time-based: Get pre-approved to buy a house within the following year.
4. Find the Right House
“I hope to find the right house for my family and me within the next 6 months. I will look at different neighborhoods and compare prices. I’ll also make sure to find a house that is the right size for us and has all the features we want.”
Specific: There are actionable steps to find the right house, such as looking at different neighborhoods and comparing prices.
Measurable: Make sure you find a house that is the right size for your family and has all the features you want.
Attainable: The goal statement is realistic and achievable with some effort.
Relevant: This is applicable to your long-term plans of owning a house.
Time-based: You should meet this goal in the next 6 months.
5. Prepare to Move into the House
“I will move into our new house within two months after we find it. I’ll pack all our belongings and hire a moving company to help us. I’ll also change our address and utilities so we can start our new life in our new home.”
Specific: This SMART goal explains what the individual wants to do and how they plan to do it.
Measurable: Progress is tracked by the number of days it takes to move into the new house.
Attainable: This is a realistic goal as long as the individual has a plan and sticks to it.
Relevant: The goal relates to the person’s life as it will help them start a new chapter.
Time-based: There is a two-month timeline for meeting this goal.
6. Find a Real Estate Agent
“I want to find a real estate agent to help me buy a house within the next year. I’ll research different agents and find one who is experienced and has a good reputation. I will interview at least 5 agents before choosing one.”
Specific: The goal is to find a real estate agent who can help the individual buy a house.
Measurable: The person will research different agents and interview at least 5 of them.
Attainable: This is a realistic goal, as there are many experienced and reputable agents to choose from.
Relevant: Finding a real estate agent is an essential step in buying a house.
Time-based: The goal should be completed within the following year.
7. Establish a Budget
“I want to set a budget for my house-buying process to stay on track. Within two years, I will save $500 each month for a down payment for my dream house.”
Specific: The goal-setter has a particular plan to set a budget.
Measurable: We will know this goal is on track when the goal-setter saves $500 each month.
Attainable: This goal is realistic and achievable.
Relevant: Setting a budget will allow the goal-setter to stay on track during their house-buying process.
Time-based: The goal will ideally be accomplished in two years.
8. Increase Your Gross Income
“In the next 8 months, I will increase my gross income by 10%. I will do this by working overtime, picking up extra shifts, or looking for a higher-paying position.”
Specific: You want a 10% raise and are willing to work for it.
Measurable: Track your gross income over time to know when you reach your goal.
Attainable: A 10% raise is feasible if you’re willing to do the extra work.
Relevant: Making more money is always appropriate.
Time-based: Your goal should be achievable by the end of 8 months.
9. Get Organized
“Over the course of one month, I’ll strive to get organized for my house-buying process by making a list of priorities. I will update this list every week to be aware of what needs to be done.”
Specific: You want to get organized by making and updating a list of priorities.
Measurable: You will measure your progress by the number of items on your to-do list and how often it is updated.
Attainable: This goal is achievable because it’s a change in your habits that you can control.
Relevant: Achieving this goal will help you during the house-buying process by keeping you on track.
Time-based: Expect to accomplish this goal within one month.
10. Educate Yourself
“I will educate myself on the house-buying process for three weeks by reading two books on the topic. I’ll also attend a first-time homebuyer’s seminar online or at my city.”
Specific: You want to learn about the ins and outs of buying a house.
Measurable: Reading two books and attending one seminar will give you a good foundation of knowledge.
Attainable: This is an achievable goal because it’s easy to find resources on the topic.
Relevant: Gaining this knowledge will help you throughout the home-buying process.
Time-based: You’ll be able to meet this goal within three whole weeks.
11. Keep Your Eye on the Prize
“I’ll be patient throughout the home-buying process and remember my long-term goal of owning a home in the next four months. I will set aside 10 minutes each morning to reel back my impatience to keep my eyes on the winning prize.”
Specific: The goal is clear. The individual knows they need to be patient and keep their eye on the prize (owning a home).
Measurable: The individual will measure their progress by setting aside 10 minutes each morning to reel back their impatience.
Attainable: This is realistic and achievable with time and directed effort.
Relevant: The goal is appropriate for the individual’s desire to buy a house.
Time-based: Goal attainment will be met within four months.
Final Thoughts
Let’s be honest: It isn’t easy to purchase a house without a game plan, especially for first-time homebuyers. Luckily, creating SMART goals will be a powerful tool in your arsenal.
From boosting your credit score to saving money, setting a SMART goal will allow you to knock down these objectives and stay on track to meeting your housing goals.
Hopefully, you found these SMART goals for buying a house practical and valuable. You will soon be closer than ever to getting the keys to your dream home.
