You are looking for a house to buy. Whether this is your first house, a larger house for a growing family, or your retirement home, your excitement is tempered by a bit of anxiety. So much depends on this decision. The following tips are presented to help you find the house of your dreams.
Before buying a house always have a professional come and look it over. They will be able to check for any problems that you might not notice, such as foundation issues, siding or wall cracks, basement leaks, or hazardous materials like asbestos. This will save you a lot of money in the long run.
Understanding the real estate market in a particular area requires learning about the number of active real estate agencies there. After the housing bubble burst, many real estate agencies went out of business. If there are one or two real estate agencies left in an area, the likelihood is that the neighborhood isn’t worth investing in. However, a handful or more of real estate agencies indicates a thriving real estate market that you should get involved in.
When buying a home, get pre-approved. Don’t think that being pre-qualified means the same as pre-approved. If you have been pre-approved, it means that a lender has taken a look at your credit history and financial information and is prepared to offer you a loan. They will let you know exactly what you can afford to buy and how much they are prepared to loan you. Pre-qualified, simply means that you are qualified to go through the pre-approval process.
Get pre-approved for a mortgage loan before you even begin looking at homes. This way you can rely on facts rather than emotions once you start going through houses and start wanting what you may not be able to afford. Having a clear number in mind helps you to be more efficient when shopping for a home.
The perfect home is out there somewhere. Utilize the many online sites and you will find that there are many more homes on the market than what you find in your local paper. With some time spent online looking through many different sites, you are sure to find the one that is perfect for you.
When you rent your home, you can expect your housing costs to increase every year as rent is usually raised every time you renew your lease. Buying your home at a fixed interest rate, makes your monthly payment the same for 15 or 30 years which makes your financing more manageable.
Hire a professional inspector to closely inspect the home before you buy it. Have an inspection done that includes a room-by-room review, the exterior home components, electrical systems, foundation inside and out, furnace and air conditioning units, plumbing and any crawl spaces, and the attic. This will enable you to know if there are any major or minor problems with the house prior to purchase.
If you are considering purchasing a home near a school, take noise and traffic into consideration. During the day, you are likely to hear alarm bells in addition to playground activity. Will there be sporting events at night? You’ll be subjected not only to the roar of the crowd, but very bright lights. On the upside, your kids will be able to walk to school while you watch them!
Cash challenged buyers can also be on the market to buy a property. The way to go is a lease-to-buy or rent-to-buy agreement. In this case the rent payment, or a part of it, goes towards the down payment of the property. Due to higher monthly rent payments, this is an option only to the serious home buyer.
Find a quality home inspector. Check everything from past jobs to references to credentials. You may even want to call a few of an inspector’s past clients, to find out how well the inspector performed for them. Buying a home can be a daunting task and you want to make sure you have an inspector that you can rely on.
When moving to a different part of the country, make sure to do your research on the homes in your new area. You do not want to have real estate agents or home owners take advantage of you because they know you are not familiar with the area. Look at average home prices in the area you are looking at.
Spring has always proven to be the absolute best time to buy or sell a house. If you plan on participating in any of this, make sure you meat that spring goal. If you will be selling your house, plan to have it up and going early spring. If you are buying a house, have planned out the neighborhood you would like to live in, and get house hunting.
If you are buying a house, don’t put all your eggs in basket. There are times when you bid on a house, and you don’t get it. There may be someone else that will pay more, or the sellers could of changed their minds. Make sure you see a couple of homes that you like so that you have a backup plan.
If you wish to purchase rental real estate and it is near a school, investigate the quality and reputation of the local school. The school should be attractive to potential families who may want to rent from you. The ratings of the school will help or hinder the overall monetary value of the rental real estate in the future.
Seek the know-how of a licensed real estate professional before you invest. You can obtain a huge amount of real estate knowledge from someone who has been in the market for a while. You may want to hire them for consultation, or you may want to give them a bigger role.
This decision is not so intimidating now that you can approach it with so much knowledge in hand. You are armed against the foibles of an impulsive decision that could cost you dearly in the long run. You are ready to diligently check out everything about this house, from cellar to roof. May the house you choose be a place of joy for many years!
