Home Buying Tips
Get pre-approved for a mortgage – Before deciding to buy a home, you first need to determine exactly how much you can afford to spend each month. Being pre-approved for a mortgage will put you in a better position to make a serious offer in our competitive market. It may also save you the disappointment of looking at homes that you cant afford. Speak with your bank, or I can guide you to a mortgage broker.
Hire a professional Realtor – Your time is very valuable. Hiring a real estate agent will save you time and money. Driving around on weekends, spending hours searching the public mls is not an optimal use of your time. Your real estate agent should be doing all of this work for you and will have the most up to date information on every property. Your agent is there to work for you everything possible to protect your interests.
What you need to do – Think about what you ‘need’ and ‘want’ in your future property, everything from ‘must have parking’ to ‘nice to have a city view’ by not only thinking through your needs, but prioritizing them, this will save valuable time and effort in narrowing your search to what you truly desire.
Don’t Let Your Emotions Take Over – Though it can be difficult sometimes, keep a calm head during the home buying process, especially during and after a home inspection. Be realistic. No home is perfect, especially older homes. It’s not unusual for new owners to take care of some repairs themselves. Don’t let the seller’s refusal to do a small repair kill the deal on a home you truly love.
On the other hand, don’t fall so much in love with the house that you’ll buy it no matter what needs to be done–unless you’re sure you can handle it emotionally and financially. Decide what type of repairs you can realistically tackle, then stick with the decision.
Work with specialist – It’s important to work with people who specialize in their given field. Start thinking about hiring a real estate lawyer, home inspection firms, and moving companies. I can refer you to a selection of professionals in these areas.
