Home Buyers Checklist

home buying helpWhether you’ve been renting, leasing, or living out of your parents garage you may one day find yourself thinking, “Is it possible for me to buy a home of my own?” The younger generation in this era aren’t buying homes until their late thirties. Some aren’t ever planning on buying! Depending on the area you choose to live, renting may be a better option. This is because you can avoid a lot of problems a home owner has to deal with. Bad neighbors, industry collapse, mortgage issues, and problems with the home itself are big weights on a person.

 

But if you choose to buy a home you will undoubtedly need a checklist to help you choose the right one. How to find the right home has never been easier in this digital age. Let’s take a look and see what you can do today to save your self a headache tomorrow!

 

What you need to know

1. First off, know your budget. If you’re serious about buying a home there’s no sense in looking at ones outside your price range. Sure, it’s fun to take a look at luxury homes but we also have to be practical when we’re getting down to brass tax. You don’t necessarily have to contact a bank just yet, though. A typical mortgage will be 30 years. Figure out how much you can spend on your future mortgage each month and how much you’re able to put as a down payment now. Calculate that over 360 months and that’s the amount you’re likely to get approved for by a lender. Now you know your price range!

 

2. Decide what you absolutely cannot live without in a home. It’s best if you make a top beautiful spacesten list about what’s most important to you. Good schools, safe neighborhood, walk in closet… Maybe the place you live in right now has a septic system and gosh, you just want to be on a sewer system. Write it down! Your needs are going to change over time but you definitely want to know what you are and are not willing to sacrifice in your purchase. Nothing is forever so think of this as a list of what you need for yourself over the next five years. In five years you can worry about making changes.

 

3. Figure out which city you want to live near. That’s right, I said near – not in. This is because the city you want to live in may be out of your price range but cities nearby can be much better priced and just as good. Perhaps they don’t have the same name appeal. But you can swing living ten minutes away in a different zip code for half the cost.

 

4. Start your search! That’s right – now it’s time to find the right home, in the flesh! Utilize these inter webs to look for available housing in your preferred area. Set your pricing filter in your mortgage range and click any boxes on your top ten that apply to your checklist. Select around ten different homes that you like the looks of. Of course make sure you like the specs you see too. Rule out any of those ten based on your checklist of must haves.

 

Find the Perfect Agent

Find the Perfect Agent

Tell us anything

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Home Buyers and Sellers - Agent Search

What are you interested in?

When?

Agent-Match

Have you been involved with the sale of a home before?

How many times have you moved in the last 5 years?

Do you often:

I prefer to work with someone between the ages of:

What's your ethnicity?

What best describes your religious beliefs or spirituality?

How important is... dependability - On a scale of 1 to 9 (1 = Not Much, 9 = A Lot)

How important is... Enjoying the way I feel around people - On a scale of 1 to 9 (1 = Not Much, 9 = A Lot)

How important is... one-on-one compatibility - On a scale of 1 to 9 (1 = Not Much, 9 = A Lot)

How important is... My friendship between me and other people I meet - On a scale of 1 to 9 (1 = Not Much, 9 = A Lot)

How important is... Enjoying working with people - On a scale of 1 to 9 (1 = Not Much, 9 = A Lot)



How well does this describe you in life?

I do things according to a plan - On a scale of 1 to 9 (1= not at all, 9=very much so)

I take time out for others - On a scale of 1 to 9 (1= not at all, 9=very much so)

I feel unable to deal with things - On a scale of 1 to 9 (1= not at all, 9=very much so)

I love to help others - On a scale of 1 to 9 (1= not at all, 9=very much so)

I seek adventure - On a scale of 1 to 9 (1= not at all, 9=very much so)

I often leave a mess in my space - On a scale of 1 to 9 (1= not at all, 9=very much so)

I often carry the conversation to a higher level - On a scale of 1 to 9 (1= not at all, 9=very much so)

I get stressed out easily - On a scale of 1 to 9 (1= not at all, 9=very much so)

I often make others feel good - On a scale of 1 to 9 (1= not at all, 9=very much so)

I am good at analyzing problems - On a scale of 1 to 9 (1= not at all, 9=very much so)

Tell us more about the home:

What is your Target Price Range?

How Many Bedrooms?

How Many Bathrooms?

Are you PreQualified?

Personal Details

What is your email address?

What is your phone number? (will not be shared with anyone)

What is your name?

What is your CURRENT Zip code?

What ZIP Code are you moving to?

Write anything you think we should know

 

 

5. If you have someone in mind to be your real estate agent, give them a call and ask about seeing these particular properties. If you’re clueless on an agent, the USDRE can get you the best one in your area of search based on personality. You don’t want your agent to be too pushy or too lax.

 

6. Take a look at each property in person. When you pull up, note the surrounding neighborhood. Do you like it? When you walk through the front door… Did you get butterflies? If at any time your heart sinks, this may not be the right home for you. But compare it to the other homes you’ve seen. Remember, you’re not necessarily looking for the perfect home, you’re looking for the right home. If you don’t like the color of the living room walls; that’s a simple and relatively affordable fix. If the backyard is ten feet deep and you really wanted some patio furniture and a fire pit out there… Well, that’s going to be a harder, if not an impossible thing to change.

 

What About a Walk Through?

The main thing to think about when you’re choosing a home that’s the right fit is asking yourself, “Can I see myself living here, happily?” This is a huge, life changing purchase – it’s not a pair of shoes or a new product you want to try out. It’s where you’ll go to sleep at night and wake up to start your days. You want to do both with a smile on your face.

 

Finding the PERFECT family home >>

 

USDRE Guide to Buying a Home

HOW TO BUY A HOME

FIRST TIME HOME BUYER EDUCATION

HOW TO FIND THE RIGHT HOME

HOW TO KNOW YOU FOUND THE RIGHT HOME

COMPROMISES YOU SHOULD NEVER MAKING BUYING YOUR FIRST HOME

 

SHOULD I WAIT TO BUY A HOUSE

HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR CREDIT SCORE FAST

THINGS SUCCESSFUL HOME BUYERS DO

FINDING THE PERFECT FAMILY HOME

BUYING A LUXURY HOME

 

More Real Estate Information

PICKING A REAL ESTATE AGENT (9 TIPS TO FIND THE RIGHT ONE FOR YOU)

HOW TO HIRE A REALTOR

TIPS FOR HOUSE HACKING

WHAT MAKES A REAL ESTATE AGENT GREAT?

 

WHAT HAPPENS TO YOUR HOME WHEN GETTING A DIVORCE

THINGS TO CONSIDER WITH INVESTMENT PROPERTY

CAPITALIZATION RATE

A REAL ESTATE MARKET CRASH?

REAL ESTATE SCAMS

 


You can Search for Agents by NAME or by ZIP CODE using the form below

Visit www.USDRE.com to check out real estate agents that will work with you on a personal level and find what you’re looking for!

To find a real estate agent that can help you, click below to search in your area.

 

best time to buy a home

 

 

 


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2 Comments

  1. […] How to find the RIGHT HOME >> […]

  2. […] thinking about getting a place of your own. For a lot of us, it seems like a far off dream… Finding the perfect family home. Getting to create memories with your children that will last a lifetime. Waking up on Christmas […]

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