Like any other major purchase in life, there is a method behind the decision-making madness that is the home-buying process. In order to buy a house that suits your personal needs and preferences, it’s best to follow certain steps in the process of shopping for one.
In addition, it may be wise not to jump into making an impulse buy by rushing from one open house to another without doing enough research on the property itself. Here’s how you can buy a house with confidence.
Look for the Right Real Estate Agent
If you are looking to buy a house, it’s best to work with an agent who has plenty of experience in this area and knows what he or she is doing. Look for agents who specialize in your particular geographical area of interest, as they’ll most likely have better knowledge about the local properties than someone who works across town.
Ask friends and family members if they know how to find good a real estate agent that can help you buy houses without any hassles. Check online for customer reviews on different real estate agencies before hiring one so you will be able to see which one comes highly recommended by previous customers. Visit the website of several local brokerages, contact their office, and inquire about their services and areas of expertise.
If you’re in Las Vegas or the surrounding area, check out Blue Diamond Realty. As members of the Greater Las Vegas Association of Realtors, they work with first-time home buyers and sellers. They also specialize in helping people who are relocating to Las Vegas, so you can be sure that they are very good at pinpointing needs and wants and directing people to the area that’s best for them. If you need help deciding on your next home, or you’re unsure how to decide on a house for you and your family, contact Blue Diamond Realty today!
Loan Pre-Approval Process
Before you buy a house, it’s best to get pre-approved for a mortgage loan. This loan may be backed by a large institution, or it may be a federal housing administration loan if your debt to income ratio, earnings, and net worth aren’t enough to qualify you to make a normal, larger down payment.
To get a pre-approval, you’ll meet with a mortgage broker to go over your financial situation, and then the lender will give you a budget, or a purchase price limit that you’ll use to go house shopping with. This step is key in helping you narrow down your list of potential properties by determining how much money you’re allowed to borrow and your spending limit. This way, you’ll know immediately which houses are within your price range and what type of property you may buy. Also, having a budget makes the job of your real estate agent a lot less complicated and more streamlined.
Some banks and financial institutions allow their customers to complete the process online, which can be done easily from home or while commuting on public transportation.
Browse Available Listings
Once pre-approved for a loan, it’s time to start looking at real estate listings on the web and looking through the listings your realtor sends you through the MLS so you can find the perfect home for yourself and your family members. Before visiting any open homes in person, thoroughly check out their pictures and property descriptions online.
Decide on a Town or Neighborhood
Once you find a few open properties that interest you, use online maps to check out what the town is like and what the neighborhood looks like. This will help you know whether or not certain prospects would buy houses for sale be in your area of choice before scheduling any appointments with realtors to see them in person.
You can also buy a house in a particular location because it’s close to transportation routes, big shopping centers, schools, recreational centers, theaters, churches, and hospitals. These are all important things to consider when looking for homes for sale because they will give your family members peace of mind while living in an unfamiliar town or city.
Tour Homes and Make Offers
Once you find some homes you want to visit, your real estate agent will coordinate with the seller’s agent and find a time for you to tour those homes. Since this confuses people a lot, if you ever see real estate listings held in a “coming soon” status, that means they aren’t available on the market yet, but they’re giving you a sneak preview of what the property will look like and maybe where it is located.
Once you’ve decided on one that meets your desired criteria, like low property taxes, desirable neighborhood, proximity to work, the correct number of bedrooms and baths, etc., your agent will submit an offer on your behalf at whatever purchase price you decide to commit to. And then, fingers crossed, your offer gets accepted and you can deliver your down payment and closing costs and start purchasing things like homeowners insurance for your new pad!
You can also buy houses online these days, which is convenient because you don’t have to spend time driving around town looking at properties if the location isn’t exactly what you are looking for. Alternatively, some real estate agencies allow customers to buy homes while sitting in front of their computers, while others charge additional fees for this service.
Take Your Time With the Home Buying Process
Instead of getting swept into impulse-buying in our current fast-paced real estate market, it’s best to take the time to research properties that suit your specific needs and preferences. Remember to work with local real estate agents, like the experts at Blue Diamond Realty, who know their stuff, look which town or neighborhood is best for your needs, and buy houses only if they are in your preferred area instead of buying homes based on whims.
When trying to find a new home for yourself, don’t forget to ask friends or family members for suggestions before working with local real estate agents because these people will have insight into what properties are available on the market within your price range. Check out what neighborhoods are like before scheduling any appointments with prospective realtors so you’ll feel more at ease about finding the right place for you and your family members.
