- Make sure you’re home loan is pre-approved
There is a huge difference between being pre-qualified and pre-approved for a home loan. Anyone can get pre-qualified for a home loan so getting pre-approved means a lot more and looks a lot better to the home seller. Being pre-approved means that a lender has already looked at all of your finances and has verified how much they can lend you. This saves you a lot of time and money by saving you from looking at houses you can’t afford, it allows you to know your exact price range. Being pre-approved also gives you the opportunity to shop around and find good interest rates and the overall best deal. If you take the time to do your research to find the best loan and get pre-approved you will be in a great position to find a great deal on your new home. If you’re buying a home getting pre-approved will put you ahead of your competition.
- Don’t try to time the market
The market is constantly changing and even with market reports it is impossible to accurately anticipate the changes so you don’t want to base your housing decisions on market estimates. The real estate market is cyclical meaning it is constantly going up and down, always changing. If you try to wait for the perfect time you might miss out on your perfect home. If you’re buying a home the right time shouldn’t depend on the timing of the market, it should depend on whether or not you found your dream home.
- Avoid sleeper costs
When you’re not simply looking into renting a house but rather buying a home, you need to watch out for sleeper costs. Instead of just having a mortgage cost you need to be aware of the additional costs that come with home ownership. These include property taxes, utilities and homeowner-association fees. Other extra costs you may not be aware of or factoring into your budget include home repairs, maintenance and potential property-tax increases. If you’re searching the market in hopes of buying a home you need to make sure to factor in all of these sleeper costs to avoid potentially losing the house of your dreams.
- Give your house a physical
Do you make any large purchases without first inspecting the product? Of course not! So when you’re buying a home make sure to give it a “physical”. Hire a home inspector to check the ins and outs of your potential home. A home inspector will provide you with all of the information you need to know about the home to be able to make a decision on whether or not it is actually in good enough condition to buy and live in. Plus they only cost about 200 dollars. This cost far outweighs the potential cost of issues that could arise if you buy a home without first inspecting it. Plus if they do uncover potential issues you can use them as bargaining power to lower the cost of the house. In the end you will be better off inspecting the home and preparing for any potential issues with the house.
- Stalk the neighborhood
One thing often over looked by homebuyers is the neighborhood they are moving into. Before buying a house it is important to basically stalk the neighborhood. You want to visit the area in the morning, afternoon, and evening to see if there are any odd things that won’t fit with your lifestyle. Practice your morning commute and check out the distance to local grocery stores, restaurants, and gas stations. You also want to be aware of schools in the area. Schools can cause unwanted traffic in the mornings and afternoons and also greatly affect the home’s value, sometimes by as much as 20 percent.
Buying a home is of course a huge decision and you want to make sure you make the most educated, best decision for you and your family. Don’t overlook any possible issues and have all of your questions answered before the decision is made. If you keep these tips in mind chances are you will have a much easier, stress-free home buying process. If you are buying a home you must take the time to do your research and be completely prepared before purchasing your dream home!
For more information regarding buying a home, click on Kathy McCarthy’s website or Facebook page below!
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