Buying a home is both a science and an art requiring not only accurate and current local market knowledge, but a definitive strategy customized to your particular situation. That is why you should include a licensed real estate professional who is Web savvy in your home hunting arsenal. Buying a home should be fun, not stressful. As you look for your dream home, keep in mind these tips for making the process as peaceful as possible.
Step 1: Get pre-qualified. Meeting with a lender and getting pre-qualified will determine if you have adequate credit risk and if the lender is willing to lend a certain amount of money. Moreover, it determines a spending cap. This also puts sellers at ease, since it only brings prequalified buyers who actually can afford the loan needed to their doors. It will strengthen your offer. Step 2: Find a real estate agent who you connect with. Home buying is not only a big financial commitment, but also an emotional one. It’s critical that the REALTOR® you chose is both highly skilled and a good fit with your personality. Working with an agent will keep you focused. I frequently get calls and Emails from buyers about one of my on line listings only to find they have downloaded dozens of listings from various sites that were already under contract, in questionable areas, or totally undesirable. My first step is to weed out the best ones and contribute listings that will best fit the buyer's wants and needs. Together we establish a base of neighborhoods to work with and focus on listings within those areas. Step 3: Leveraging an "Internet REALTOR®" to consolidate your on line search. Zillow, Trulia and Google, are just several amongst dozens of real estate search engines available to home buyers. I provide my clients customized "one-stop" on line search tools, which provide accurate and timely listings without having to search all over the Web. Step 4: Remember, there’s no “right” time to buy, just as there’s no perfect time to sell. If you find a home now, don’t try to second-guess interest rates or the housing market by waiting longer — you risk losing out on the home of your dreams. The housing market usually doesn’t change fast enough to make that much difference in price, and a good home won’t stay on the market long. Step 5: A real estate professional will walk you through the entire transaction. You've found a home you love so what's next? Your agent will guide you through every step of the way. This includes everything from submitting an offer to inspections, mortgages and insurance. Your agent will be on top of every detail (and there are many), allowing you to go about your daily business.
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