First time home buyer.
The first time home buyer
face extra pressure so if that is you I hope this information may
provide you with extra confidence before entering the real estate
arena.
First
time home buyer tip 1. What is essential and what is not?
From my experience with the
first time home buyer I am sure a lot would find their home searching
easier if they just wrote down a short list as part of their research
on what they consider is an essential attribute and what they considered
nice but not essential.
You probably find
there are only one or two things on your list which really are essential,
and with the price of real estate that may help to keep your shopping
list realistic.
The benefit is it
gets your mind thinking the right way so when you are looking you
don't lose focus and get carried away about a property that looks
good but doesn't meet your original criteria. This also helps any
real estate agents that are looking on your behalf to narrow down
what that show you and not waste your time .I would suggest two
essentials for your list are;
1.
List of your preferred suburbs. 2. Fix your price
range and stick to it.
|
|
First
time home buyer tip 2. Can you
use this property as a stepping stone?
Keeping a realistic budget
in mind and aiming not to borrow any more that you have too
is the key to success with real estate.
If you are a
first home buyer chances are you are still young and you can
probably get by with a smaller home to start with and move
up to the larger more expensive property later in life. You
will be a lot happier and better off with a mortgage that
you can afford the repayments on.
Have you heard
the term house poor?
It essentially
means someone who has taken out a loan and got themselves
in debt to a level that they can meet the repayments on their
mortgage but that is about all they can afford.
Their lifestyle
suffers considerably to the point they may as well be financially
poor because they cannot afford to do anything except pay
off their mortgage. |
Buying
real estate, basic rules to follow buying real estate, read more...
First
time home buyer tip 3. Capital
growth factors in real estate.
Position of course is the key; this refers to a
lot including access to community infrastructure including transport,
shopping, employment areas, schools, parks, sporting facilities, etc.
Views from a property are a capital asset and will
always be valuable, any similar life style features that make the property
desirable should also increase the property value over time.
Try to imagine what your new neighborhood will be
like in 5 -10 years time.
New subdivisions generally have established gardens;
street trees etc and in 5 years time they are a lot more fashionable areas
to live in. Research which suburbs are becoming more desirable because
of new developments, or have new infrastructure to be built and have
easy access to facilities mentioned above and work centers.
|
|
First
time home buyer tip 4. Not what can you borrow, what should you borrow!
This has become a bit of
a theme for me but please remember don't over commit with
how much you borrow, just because that's what you are offered.
The banks are
in the serious profits business!
Whatever the
bank or loan institution offers you don't forget it's a loan
which has to be repaid with interest.
Work out what
you know you will be comfortable repaying on a mortgage and
stick to that level. Please be aware changes of circumstances
can and do happen; many people change jobs regularly, newly
weds start families, interest rates can and do go up, these
things can bring extra pressure financially. |
We
provide information on home loans mortgages, shop around for your mortgage read more....
First
time home buyer tip 5. Other costs
involved.
The fees described below
are only a guideline and can vary from state to state in the USA
you will want to confirm with either your home loans broker and
or your realtor the exact fees you will most likely be charged.
Loan Application fee
Home/building inspection
costs
Broker fees
Survey costs
Insurance
Title search costs
Mortgage insurance
There are a number
of additional expenses you need to also take into account when buying
a home including contents insurance, moving expenses and utilities
connections when you finally move in.
First
time home buyer tip 6. Time frame
to work to.
Don't pressure yourself too
much with time frames, expect to dedicate plenty of time to finding
your new home, don't get disappointed if you don't find a property
in the first week.
Remember it is a decision
you will be living with for years to come.
That doesn't mean you
don't want to be confident when the right property comes up, move
fast and if you have done your homework you should know how to secure
it in front of other buyers.
First
time home buyer tip 7. Research
on prices.
I know this is commonsense
but common sense isn't that common.
Make sure you get a
good idea on the price of homes in the neighborhoods you are interested
in. Knowing the price of other homes in a neighborhood will help
you avoid paying too much.
Basic guidelines to the home buying process
Here are some standard
guidelines for organizing a mortgage and buying your first piece
of real estate. Even though they may not be accomplished in the
same order every time you will be more confident with your transaction
when you have a basic understanding of what is required of you and
everyone else in this process. The following steps are quite self-explanatory
to getting a home loan ;
| 1.
Organize your finances ( details of savings history, tax certificates
etc )
2.Become
familiar with the mortgage industry
3.Arrange
pre-approval for a mortgage
4.Determine
your wants and needs
5.
Learn how real estate agents work
6.
Start searching for a home
7.
Handle pre-offer tasks
8.
Make an offer
9.
Arrange home inspections and other additional tests
10.
Once decision is made and agreement in place get deal in writing
as quickly as possible |
|
Remember, these steps
are a general guide. You will encounter issues specific to your
location and your transaction. These issues can be best explained
and handled by your real estate agent, and or your home loan broker
or your real estate lawyer and others who are helping you complete
the home buying transaction.
Also remember, never
hesitate to ask questions. You are making a long term commitment
and spending a large sum of money; you will feel much better about
the transaction if you stay informed and understand what`s happening
each step along the way.
Good luck with your
endeavors to own real estate; despite all the warnings its hard
to find a better investment for your savings than your own home.
I have read that 90%
of all millionaires have made their money in real estate.
Considering
selling ? how to select a realtor, read more...
|