RSS FeedTips for Buying Your First Home
Before deciding to buy a home, ask your self why you want to buy a home? This isn’t a silly question at all. Are you buying it because you are tired of paying the landlord’s mortgage and are ready to have an investment rather than an expense? Have you truly thought out the pros and cons of becoming a home owner? If you have then you are ready to move forward in the home buying process.
Decide where you want to be. This doesn’t mean necessarily that you should pick a place and drop any and all consideration to other locations. Your real estate agent will be able to make some suggestions for you in reference to the area or areas that you have chosen. Real estate agents suggest that you make a list of the top three to five neighborhoods that you are interested in living. This allows them to show you what each neighborhood is able to offer for the same price.
Start educating yourself on what is out there. Get online and look at current properties in those listed areas and take note of what you can get for the budget you have set. Any information that you are able to arm yourself with will be greatly appreciated by your real estate agent, and you will have a better working relationship with them, if you are someone already knowledgeable on the area and the properties available in those areas.
Finding a good agent is very important. Make it clear to them that you area serious. Give them the information that they need to do their job. How long are you planning to look before making a decision? Two days? Two weeks? One month? What areas are you willing to look at? What neighborhoods? How many bedrooms and bathrooms and garages do you need verses what you want? Is multilevel housing acceptable? All this is information that a good agent should ask. Having all of this prepared in writing for them is all the better. A good agent will narrow your search, decide which houses are in your budget and have all the amenities you are wanting or needing, and should even preview the house first.
While seeing over twenty homes in a day is possible, experts suggest you see around ten. Eat a good meal, not anything that’s full of sugar. Be excited, prepared, and focused. Seeing around ten homes allows you to see a good amount for a day, while avoiding so many that you forget details.
Go back and look at your favorites one more time. Narrowing the search like this give you much needed piece of mind. A home is a big decision and your agent wants you to be glad you make the choice that you did.