|
If you approach the home buying process
intelligently and with confidence, you are much
more likely to buy a house you'll be proud to call
home.
Approaching the task of
buying a home can be overwhelming; there's so much
to consider:
-
How much house can I
afford?
-
How can I find the best
loan?
-
Where will I come up with
a down payment, and how much will I need?
-
Should I buy a new or
resale home, and which will go up in value?
-
Should I work with an
agent or look at homes on my own?
-
And these questions are
just the beginning. Buying a home is one of the
largest financial transactions in your lifetime
- do your research so you know what you’re
doing.
Here are the two most
important things to remember no matter where you
are on the road to home ownership:
1. You can and should
understand everything that is happening in the
home buying process.
There is nothing that is so
complex that it can't be easily explained to
anyone with average intelligence. Just because you
don't apply for a thirty year mortgage once a week
doesn't mean you have to take the first one that
comes along. You'll need to learn some new terms,
apply some new concepts and take the time to
understand what you're getting into.
If, at any point, something
happens that doesn't make sense to you, simply
demand a full and complete explanation. If it
still doesn't make sense, seek help from someone
you trust like your CPA, your banker or maybe an
online real estate columnist.
2. In the world of real
estate sales, YOU are the most important person in
the entire process.
It's easy to think that
everyone else carries more weight than you. The
agent talks fast and has an answer for everything.
The lender may decline your loan application, and
on and on.
But the truth is that you,
the buyer, are the one person in the transaction
that makes it all happen. If you decide to not
buy, the entire process comes to a grinding halt.
So flex your consumer muscle
and take command of this process. Surround
yourself with a team of professionals that you
have confidence in and make them work for you.
Approach home buying with
intelligence and confidence, and by doing your
homework, and you are more likely to buy a house
you’re happy with and to know that you made the
right decision.
|
