Buying a home for some people is like buying a new bed.  It is something they only do every 7-10 years.  And when that times comes, they bring very little past experience, good and bad, with them on how the process worked or failed the last time.  All they really concentrate on is the home.  Maybe this is expected as the process seems to change pretty often anyways.  Whether this is your first or your 15th house, here are some basics that you should consider as you prepare to buy your new home:

• Start with finding a good mortgage broker.  This is critical to determine not only if you can purchase a new home, but as important, how much home you can purchase.  There is no sense looking at homes and getting all excited only to find out that your debt to income ratio is too high or your credit score is too low.  Also, use this meeting to decide if that new mortgage payment is going to feel comfortable or if it will keep you up at night.
• Once you determine how much you want to (or can) spend on a home, use your computer to search for houses for sale.  Figure out what area or neighborhood you are interested in and simply type that into Google such as [Eden Prairie Houses] or maybe a more specific one like [Lake Minnetonka Homes for Sale] (omit the brackets when typing into Google).  This should bring up the real estate company that is most focused on that particular area.  If possible use their site to search the local MLS for home to confirm this is the area you are interested in.
• Use that Google search also to find a qualified real estate agent that is familiar with the area/neighborhood and price range of the homes you are interested in.  Confirm that he or she works the same hours that you can get out and tour homes.  Many agents only work 9-5, whereas you may have a full time job and can only look after 6pm or on weekends.
• Finally, have fun with the process and use professionals that you trust.  Work hard to make good decisions and write offers.  Don’t get stuck with analysis paralysis and lose your dream home because you spent too much time thinking about it.  Jump in and go for it.

Sticking to the basics is a good way to help you find the dream home you want.

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

Trackback URI | Comments RSS