The JuanSells.com Realty Co
So you’ve decided to buy a home…Congratulations! You’re excited but probably also a bit nervous or intimidated and that’s perfectly normal; this is unknown territory for you. You might be thinking How do I even begin this process? Luckily, I’ve worked with many first time home buyers over the years and have come up with a manageable list of tips for helping you through.
1) Create a list of must haves, wants, and deal breakers. Not sure of what to put on your list? Watch some home buying shows or browse house listings on the Internet to get a sense of what you like. (You can also ask your realtor for advice. See #3.) If you’re purchasing a home with someone else, first create your lists separately and then compare before you begin house hunting. The process will be much easier if you’re both on the same page.
2) Establish a budget (or at least go over your financials to see what you can afford). You can do this by getting pre-qualified for a mortgage loan, which means that a lender gives you an estimate of what loan amount for which you could qualify. The next step is to actually get pre-approved for the loan, which will give you the actual dollar amount of the loan. This means that you can start looking at houses at or below this price, and it also shows sellers that you are a serious buyer, so the sooner you can get pre-approved, the better. (Your realtor can also suggest trustworthy lenders to you. See #3.)
3) Find a buyer’s realtor that you can trust. It can be frustrating to go to open house after open house, putting in a lot of hard work and hours, only to find that you’re not fully equipped to ask the right questions or close the deal. To avoid this, I suggest looking into hiring a buyer’s realtor who has both the experience and education to guide you through the entire process. And it is no cost to you. The seller will pay the commission fees. In other words, you are getting a professional to find you a house at no cost to you. He will be able to answer all of your questions, work with you one-on-one, plan house showings, and close the final deal; in other words, he does the work while you reap the benefits. You can share your list from #1 and your budget from #2 with your realtor so that he can find the perfect, most suitable home for you. put in your info here. I see myself as an advisor or consultant, educating you on the real estate process as you go through it for the first time. If you are looking for a home in the Bloomington area, feel free to contact me at 812-369-0785. You’ve already found my website, juansells.com, so you can also browse it for information on the Bloomington area buyers’ market.
4) Take a breath and remember to enjoy the process. You’re taking a big step that’s often overwhelming. Your first home buying adventure only happens once, so take in the experience!
Happy house hunting!
from Bloomington’s Most Trusted Real Estate Agent, Juan Carlos Carrasquel, Realtor (812) 369-0785
