I have seen many people buy a home only to have made many, many mistakes. Before you buy a home, there are many things that you should think about or look into before you make one of the largest purchases in your life.
Get a good realtor.
A good realtor is great for many reasons. If you are not familiar with the area in which you are buying, they can help determine which neighborhood would be best for you.
A good realtor can also find ways to save you money on your home. They can help you negotiate to get the best price.
Visit the home during the day and at night.
Most homes look nice during the day. However, how does the house look at night? Do you still feel safe at the house? Sometimes neighborhoods can completely chance from day and night, and usually everyone is home at dinner time so it can give you a better sense of how the neighborhood actually is.
Get pre-approved.
Get pre-approved before you shop! I can’t say that enough. Nothing is worse than shopping for homes and finding out that a house is not in your budget even though you thought it was. Or you might not be approved for a home at all and then you have just wasted your time and your realtor’s time.
Do you want to live in a homeowner’s association neighborhood?
Some people have no problem dealing with HOA, but others don’t like it at all. You should research if your neighborhood has any rules and how extensive of a reach the HOA has over you and your house.
Pay for a home inspection.
Home inspections are not that expensive, so if you are paying for a house then you should definitely fork out the extra couple hundred dollars and pay for a home inspection. A home inspector is trained to spot something wrong with a home that you may not be able to see.
It’s wiser to know what may be wrong with a house and lose $300 instead of buying a house that has a lot of issues.
What will your property taxes be?
You might not think that property taxes will be that bad, but you are wrong. A $200,000 house in one city may have property taxes of $300 per month, or a $200,000 in a neighboring county may have property taxes of $600 per month. It really varies and can consist of a large amount of your monthly house payment.
What tips do you have for someone looking to buy a home?
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