Learn eight important steps to take when purchasing a home.
1. Know your financial status When you decide to buy a home, check your credit report. You probably haven't seen it in the last few years and you don't really know how good (or bad) it is right now. It is very probable that you greatly overestimate (or Underestimate) your financial abilities. What's more, your credit report may contain mistakes you will have to correct (as this happens quite often) - and you'd better do it before you start shopping for a mortgage.
2. Choose your loan lender and the type of loan/mortgage When your credit report is accurate, then begin researching Mortgage Brokers and types of mortgages. When shopping for a loan, keep an eye on: 1) the interest rate and the term (the most important factors), 2) additional fees (they can spoil everything), 3) and your likelihood of getting the approved (they are different for different institutions). Generally, it is good to visit at least a few potential creditors and learn to use and understand a financial calculator before making the final decision.
3. Learn what you want and what you can get Only when you know what you can afford can you decide what exactly you want from your new house. How big should it be? How many rooms should it have? How much time/effort/money are you willing to put in the refurbishment/redecoration? Where exactly would you like to live? After you answer these questions, you will be able to narrow your search and make it much faster.
4. Understand who the agents work for Most people imply that the agents work only for them and they expect they will protect their best interest. The point is that's not entirely true, as the agents may work for a buyer, for a seller and for both of them. Learn where the agents loyalties lie before you start to rely on their opinions and confide personal information to them.
5. How to read offers As a rule of thumb, every offer seems to be better than it really is. In order to assess the offer properly, pay attention to such details as the neighborhood, acreage and furniture (if the house is sold with it). All these factors affect attractiveness of the offer just as much as the house itself.
6. Make an offer Only if everything seems to suit you just fine, should you make an offer. However, before the deal is sealed, there is one more thing you have to do: a home inspection.
7. Home Inspection: where to look When the offer seems to be good, make an appointment for another visit to the house in question. In some states you take your real estate agent with you. Now, everything depends on the results of the inspection. While you can do it yourself, the best option is to hire a professional home inspector. Then, you can expect a full report concerning the homes status. If there's anything wrong - from termites and mold to toxic paint on the walls or low quality of water, it will be found during a professional inspection.
8. Signing the contract Before you sign a contract, learn exactly what the fixtures are (i.e. what stays at home). Sometimes you will be given virtually everything, but sometimes you will learn that the previous owners have taken the swimming pool with them. Talk to the previous owners in order to learn what they want to take and what will stay and put it down into the contract!
When the contract is ready, the rest is relatively simple. Your agent or attorney will help you to make out all the payments, and assist with insurance and title transfer details you have to do in order to buy a home.
For more information on real estate buying, visit http://www.1st-real-estate.com
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