In reality, there are only 5 things you need to know and do to make your home buying experience as simple as possible.
Get pre-approved for your loan.
Get pre-approved in the amount you're able and willing to borrow. With this pre-approval, you are in a strong position to buy a home when you're ready -- rather than finding your dream home and finding out you can't afford it or you've lost it to another buyer who was ready with their pre-approval.
Find a great real estate consultant.
Once you've decided to buy a home, find a 'Buyer's Agent'. This means an agent that will represent YOU rather than the person selling the home. They will have your best interests in mind. Really good agents know their markets, and will help you find the best match for your needs and wants.
Look before your leap.
Drive around the neighborhood at different times of the day. Get out and walk around, chat with neighbors. Some people like friendly neighbors, some think of them as nosy. Drive to the local grocery store, laundry or wherever you frequent. Visit nearby schools and see for yourself how the kids behave and how the grounds look. The point is to see if this is really the neighborhood that you want to live in before you make an offer.
Be prepared.
Make sure your contract has reasonable contingencies included to protect you as the buyer. Reasonable things can include -- a satisfactory home inspection and title clearance. For the long-term investment, make sure that you buy homeowner's insurance, and upgrade it as the value of your home and its contents increase.
Be reasonable.
No home will be without flaws. Many times it's these flaws that lend character to older homes, but none-the-less it will take some work to personalize the home.
Preparing yourself with these 5 simple things: a loan approval, a great broker, getting to know the neighborhood, protecting yourself and being reasonable -- will help make the home buying process easier for you and your family.
To learn more helpful tips or to find out more about what Century 21 Eudan can do for you, contact us!
- Fernando Semiao's blog
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