Finding a Home
Once you have been pre-qualified and have selected a real estate agent, it’s time for the fun part – house hunting!
Create A List
You will want to make the most of your time when house hunting. Giving your real estate agent a list of what you are looking for will help narrow the search and save everyone some time. Your list should include:
* Your price range
* Number of bedrooms
* Number of bathrooms
* Size of property
* Basement (finished or unfinished)
* If you want a porch, patio or balcony
* Central heat and air conditioning
* Garage (attached or detached)
* Neighborhood
* Any other amenities you would like
Giving your real estate agent a list of your preferences will allow them to spend more time researching homes that fit the criteria. You should list these amenities from greatest to least importance because no home is perfect and you will probably not get everything you want or need. Let your agent know that you are flexible, but that you really want to concentrate on certain items when looking for a home.
Information Real Estate Agents Should Provide
Real estate agents should provide details about the homes you will be viewing, including:
* The price of the home
* The age of the home
* Any renovations that have been done
* Any other issues with the home
* Property taxes
* Community/HOA dues
* Schools
* Neighborhood crime rates
* The median age of those living in the neighborhood
If a real estate agent does not have the information you request on hand, they should be able to look it up once they are back at their office. Find out all the information you want to know to make an informed decision about buying a home. Real estate agents are required by law to give you information concerning repairs, damage, and the history of a home. This includes any incidents that have occurred inside the home such as criminal activity, fire, and other events.
You can also do a little research of your own by using the Internet, which has become a wonderful tool to use when searching for a home. You can research information about the neighborhood, the home itself, or the town where you want to live. Knowing a little history may prompt you to look elsewhere or make an offer.
Other information real estate agents can tell you include:
* Price reductions. Your real estate agent will talk with the seller’s real estate agent once you have made an offer or want to make an offer to see how low the owners will go to sell the home
* Prices of other homes in the area that are comparable to the one you are considering buying
* How quickly the owner wants or needs to sell their home
* Other taxes in the area
Your real estate agent should be well acquainted with the neighborhoods you are looking at when buying your first home. Don’t be afraid to ask many questions.
Viewing Homes
When looking at homes with your agent, be sure to ask any questions you may have. While these questions may seem trivial, they may become important when deciding between different homes that you view. Common questions people ask their agents are:
* How old is the home,
* How many owners has the home had,
* What renovations have been done to the home,
* How old is the plumbing,
* How low are the sellers willing to go,
* How old is the carpeting and flooring,
* How old are the windows,
* How old is the roof,
Your agent may answer some of these questions before you even ask them. You should ask your real estate agent any questions that may influence your decision to buy a home. For example, if you do not want to put too much work into fixing up the home, then you may want to buy a home that is ten years old or less.
If your agent does not immediately know all the answers to your questions, they should be able to find out and will give you an answer within a day or two.
Take Pictures
One of the best ways to remember the features in the homes you have seen is to bring your camera or phone and take pictures. Get permission from the agent first before taking pictures of another person’s home.
After looking at a few houses, you may forget how big the kitchen in home number two was in comparison to home number five. Having pictures will give you a better idea of the square footage and how much room you will have to work with.
Narrowing Down Your Choices
After a few weeks of viewing homes that fit what you are looking for, you should be close to finding a home that you will want to make an offer on. If you have other homes you would like to see, or you have changed your mind about what you are looking for, you should tell your agent so that they can look for other homes.
Many times, if a person likes the neighborhood but not the home they were shown, they will want to see other homes in the neighborhood that are for sale. You should ask to see all homes available in a neighborhood that you like.
If you still don’t find a home that you like, you may need to look in other neighborhoods. Sometimes if you compare homes from one neighborhood to homes in another neighborhood, you will find redeeming qualities in a home you have already seen.