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Your Guide to Homeownership

The process of buying a home or investment generally starts with determining your buying power; that is, your financial reserves plus your borrowing capacity.  If you give a real estate agent some basic information about your available savings, income and current debt, he or she can refer you to lenders best qualified to help you.  Most lenders — banks and mortgage companies — offer limited choices.

 

Once you know how much you can and want to invest, the next steps are to:

 

1) Choose a property

2) Negotiate

3) Due diligence

4) Obtain financing 

5) Closing or settlement.

9 House Hunting Tips

Location Counts

You’ve probably heard the old real estate joke about “location, location, location,” but the point still bears repeating. Location is crucial. How far are you really willing to commute to your place of employment? How good are the local schools, shopping centers, public transportation, seniors services and other public amenities? Will your new home be next to a vacant lot or a commercial property? Even a picture-perfect dream home can be a mistake if it’s in an undesirable location, and a poor-location home can be a particularly bad choice if you anticipate reselling the home within a few years.



Make a list

Do you (and your spouse, if you’re married) really know what you need and want in your home? You’ll save yourself many hours of shopping (and potentially arguing) if you make a list ahead of time. Zero in on the features you must have, would like to have, definitely don’t want and would prefer not to have. Your goal is to find the right home for your family without falling in love with one that doesn’t suit your needs. Tip: Start compiling your wish list by thinking about what you like and dislike about your current home.



Do your homework

Not long ago, consumers had very little access to information about recent home sales prices, market trends, homes on the market, neighborhood statistics and the home-buying process. Today, all this information and more is available on the Web. Go surfing. Get educated. Become empowered.



Get preapproved for a mortgage

Your top-dollar home price is a function of your household income, your creditworthiness, interest rates, the type of loan you select and how much ready cash you have for the down payment and closing costs, among other factors. Rather than guessing or estimating how much you can afford to spend, ask a lender or mortgage broker to give you a full assessment and a letter stating how much you’re qualified to borrow. The true amount may be much more or much less than you think.



Use a checklist

Touring multiple homes is a confusing experience for most people. Rather than relying on memory, make notes about the homes you visit. Turn your priorities into a personalized home-shopping checklist and use it track the features of each home.



Wear comfortable clothing and sturdy shoes

House-hunting can be tiring, especially if you’re relocating to a distant community and want to see a dozen homes in one day. There’s no sense in torturing your feet unnecessarily.



Be prepared to make an offer

House-hunting can also be frustrating, especially if you know in your heart you’re not really emotionally or financially ready to buy a home. If you’re not ready, don’t put yourself through the exercise. If you are ready, go through a blank purchase contract ahead of time so you’ll know what decisions you’ll face when you make an offer.



Relax

Granted, buying a home is a major life-altering event. But it’s not worth making yourself insanely crazy or super-duper stressed. Save time at the end of your house-hunting expedition to unwind, calm your thoughts and emotions and keep the whole experience in perspective.



Use a Professional Realtor!

Contact Cindy Barrett today! She will be glad to help you with any real estate needs!