First Time Home Buyers

If you are a first time home buyer and don't know where to start, take a deep breathe. Buying your first home can be a very rewarding experience. The following steps can have you on your way to home ownership with a few phone calls and/or emails. During my many years of real estate, these are the steps I advise for some of my favorite clients!

Contact a lender for a pre-qualification. There are loan programs designed specifically for you. If you are in a rural area, I suggest working with a local lender versus an online giant. Local lenders are familiar with the area and can possibly offer better loan options. Start with your bank or contact a local real estate agent for suggestions. The lender will gather your information and tell you a price range for a home you can afford.
Go Shopping! This is the fun part! Contact a real estate agent and tell them your wants and needs. Find ONE agent you like and stick with them. All agents in an MLS system can show all the properties available and help you find your perfect home. The agent can also advise you on homes that will work for your type of financing. Don't plan on buying a repo or fixer upper with your loan. Most government loans require the home to be move in ready with no major repairs.
Negotiate a contract. When you have found the home your agent will guide you through the rest of the process. Be sure to ask your agent about the seller possibly paying some or all of your closing costs. This can save some out of pocket costs at closing.

And that is it! Please note there are several aspects to the home buying process but this will get you started and on your way to home ownership.

#firsttimehomebuyer #cassvillerealestate #shellknobrealestate

Comments

The Incredible Joy of Owning Your Home

If you haven't bought a home yet, you're missing out on a wonderful feeling! That moment when you walk through your doors, throw your purse or keys on the floor, plop down on your couch and breathe a sigh of relief while thinking, " Finally, it's ours (or mine)! " And the joy of looking at all of your boxes, getting to roll your eyes about why you buy so much stuff, then giving yourself a moment to take a nap because you worked hard to get here and earned it! Yes that's a real feeling! We often hear, and read, about the cost effectiveness of home ownership. The equity build-up, the freedom it can give us from finances in our retirement years, and a plethora of other ways owning a home can be a positive impact on your bottom dollar. But we don't often hear about the emotional impact owning a home can have. Yes there will be days the fridge is acting silly and you need to call your home warranty, or days you have to get outside to mow your own

Mistakes To Avoid On Your First Buy/Sell

Mistakes To Avoid On Your First Buy/Sell If this the first time you're considering buying a home, or selling your first purchase, there are a lot of possible challenges you can end up facing. Having the right agent can ensure you're able to get through these challenges, but since some of the issues are universal, let's review some mistakes you want to avoid making. 1. THE RIGHT PRICE Pricing a property is a science of it's own. There are a lot of components and factors, so many small details, that ultimately lead to the value of a home. Although there are a lot of sites with estimates, namely Zillow, the technology uses on online sites to determine property values are simply not accurate. Zillow even states that their numbers can be inaccurate up to a whopping 20%. Without a background as a real estate professional, it's virtually impossible for a consumer to be able to know the proper components needed to price a home. When you're

Storage Ideas For Small Bathrooms

Is your bathroom small? It’s the worst, isn’t it? Well, unfortunately, small bathrooms are very common, and are usually the smallest rooms in the house. I can almost bet that it almost always feels cramped and tight in there. Although the square footage doesn’t change, a change of organization and storage space can make a drastic change to how your bathroom feels. Here are a few tips and tricks to make your bathroom space feel more functional and spacious. Medicine Cabinet If you have a regular mirror, replacing it with one that includes a medicine cabinet and provide further storage space. Shelving If you have free space above your toilet, vanity, or other another empty part of the wall, install shelving units. Purchase a few decorative baskets to maximize shelf space. Hooks With a few decorative hooks, in a style of your preference, you can declutter by placing a couple on the back of the door to hang towels or robes. Perhaps one or two right next to each e

Southwest Missouri Homes and Lifestyles

Search This Blog