Triangle Property Lines: SIX STEPS TO BUYING A HOME IN 2013

SIX STEPS TO BUYING A HOME IN 2013

STEP FOUR - Time to Go Shopping

You’re more than half way there! You made the decision that home ownership is the right thing for you; have obtained pre-approval and have a great agent lined up. Now the fun starts -- it’s time to look at homes.

Make sure your agent clearly understands your interest in terms of location, size, age, etc. Do you have a preference for any particular features? Two story or single floor plan? How many bedrooms and baths do you need? If your new home must include a fireplace, make sure to communicate that information. My clients and I take time for a thorough discussion first so I can help him/her find the perfect house. No point in wasting time looking at detached, single family homes when you really want a condo or townhouse.

There are more than 22,000 homes for sale here in the Triangle. A list of features can focus your search and help to clarify what is most important and what is least important. While touring homes, make notes on each property. I give my clients a great chart that they can use for each home to help them remember which house had what. Without this, they all meld together in our memory.

You may also want to take along a digital camera. Take a picture of the listing sheet first so you can remember which photos go with which home.

If you can, take a ride around neighborhoods or subdivisions that have homes you like. This way you can get a feel for its proximity to highways, shopping, schools, and whatever is important to you.

Once you have narrowed your search to a particular area or subdivision, ask your agent to research property values in that area. Please, however, do not ask your agent to provide you with comparables on every single listing. This is a time-consuming activity & only makes sense for those homes that you really like.

You found a great house and want to buy it. Hooray! With the help of your agent, you will submit an offer to purchase with the type of financing (see Step Two) you desire.

Before signing, read it carefully and make sure you understand every detail. I sit with my clients for each offer and review all the paperwork. Coffee is helpful as there are lots of forms. It helps to have an experienced agent who knows these forms well & can explain them simply.

You’re almost in your new home now! Doesn’t it feel great?

Stuck on a step? Ready to move on? Give me a call!