Home Buying Tips

It's a big step to purchase your first house or even move up to something larger to fit a growing family. We have the experience to successfully walk you through the process. Take a look at some of the tips below and start making your plans to buy a home!

Eleven basic home buying tips:

1. Use a real estate professional

Always use a professional. You might think that you can do it yourself, but you will save time, aggravation and money by using a pro who can guide you through the process. A full service brokerage has access to tools that will help you locate the property you want. Our experience can assure success in your home purchase quest.

2. Shop around for different mortgage rates

There is a variety of different mortgage types and rates available these days. Look for what is best for your situation. A difference of even half a percentage point can mean a huge savings over the life of the loan.

3. Prequalify for a mortgage loan

By getting prequalified, which determines how much you can afford to borrow, you now can act quickly when the home of your dreams appears on the market. It also shows the seller that you are qualified to purchase their property.

4. Write down your home requirements

When shopping for your dream home, you should already have some idea of what you are looking for. This helps us in locating the right property for you. You should come up with two lists- one with your basic requirements that you cannot live without, and then a list of the features that you would really like to own. By doing so, you get a realistic view of your goal and can make adjustments to it as you start your search.

5. Visit selected homes

We can now gather a list of local properties to show you that fit into your list. This is the fun part. Make notes as you visit each house to compare the features, good and bad.

6.Be aware of the features that can help or hurt resale

We have knowledge on what is important to have for future resale value...and other points about what could hurt your resale. Depending on the location of the home, certain variables might detract from its value.

7. Rate the houses you have visited

After you have looked at several homes, sit down with your notes and rate the good and bad points about each home. Come up with a rating system, like "4 stars", "3 stars", etc. that will help you quickly narrow down the homes that you liked.

8. Put in an offer

Once you've finally found the home of your dreams, sit down with us and make an offer. We will walk you through the process and help you make the right decisions and coordinate your offer with your attorney.

9. Set-up a home inspection

Once your offer is accepted, consider a home inspection. We can provide you with a list of certified inspectors.

10. Close on your new house

Before your closing date, make sure you've made all the necessary arrangements - including mortgage, title, survey, homeowners insurance and any other paperwork required by your attorney and by local and state governments.

11. Time to move into your new home

There are a lot of things that you should attend to before moving all those boxes into your new home. It's easier to paint and make simple repairs before the house is filled with furniture and household items. You should get the locks replaced for security reasons, contact the gas and electric company about new service, and make sure your US Postal Service has your new address on file.