Buyer Tips
Getting The Best Services
If you are planning to purchase a home, you will be faced with many decisions. What comes first buying the next home or selling your present home? What is your price range? What will be the location, size and style of your next home?
Before getting the answers to these questions there is one major decision to be made: which Realtor shall you choose?
I am here to help you get through the maze of forms and give you the direction needed to successfully complete your real estate transactions. My top priority is to make sure that your home buying experience is successful and very cost effective!
Choosing A Neighbourhood
Remember that you can renovate a house but neighbourhoods take years to change and there's no guarantee they'll change for the better! On the other hand, if you really love a certain part of town but it's out of your price range you may want to consider buying a less-than-perfect home then doing renovations.
Tips on choosing a suitable neighbourhood:
- When you find a locale you like, walk around it. See what it's like from street level.
- Are the people friendly?
- Are there stores and recreation facilities nearby?
- Contact the local school board if you have children. Do local schools provide good education opportunities? If applicable are there private/religious schools?
Figure Out What You Can Afford
Consider how much you currently need to live on and how much you actually have leftover every month. People have a tendency to create budgets that look nothing like reality - when we should have $400 left over, for some reason we only have half that.
Consider these basic costs of buying a new home:
- Most homes require a down payment of several thousand dollars.
- Monthly mortgage payments can be 1/3 of the average person's annual net income.
- You may want to pay for a home inspection. Consider more than just the structure. Ask the inspector to check for asbestos, animal infestation and lead.
- Moving costs can be from a couple hundred to several thousand dollars depending on the distance of your move and the quantity of belongings.
Financing
The sort of home you can afford depends on several things:
- How much you have saved
- How much you earn
- Past earnings
- Your credit rating
This refers to documents from a bank or other lender indicating that you have the financing to back up your offer on a house.
Pre-qualification is free and most lenders are happy to sit down with prospective buyers and figure how much they can afford. Having an accurate idea of price range will save time in the bidding process. If there are several people making offers on your dream home, being pre-qualified can make your offer more attractive since financing is not in question.
Do Your Homework - Home Inspections
Home inspections are often an important part of the pre-purchase routine when buying a house. You do not want to end with faults that you had not anticipated. Choosing a home inspector can be difficult process. It is important to consult with family and friends to find a reliable inspector that has good references. You should also contact several inspectors in your area and interview them in advance to ascertain their qualifications. Be sure to do your own independent investigation of the Inspectors' qualifications.
I Will Help You Every Step Of The Way
Once you've been pre-qualified and know what price range you want to stay in, I will help you find the properties that fit your specifications by using the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) system. You will have new listings emailed to you as soon as they are available and one of them just might be
YOUR DREAM HOME.
I will also help you complete your financing and inspections, and close on the transaction. My job isn't done untill you move into your dream home.My goal is to make sure that your home buying experience is successful, cost effective, and pleasant, so let's get busy finding your ideal home!