House Hunting Guide for Beginners

House Hunting Guide for Beginners

Buying a new home for the very first time can pose quite a challenge. One wouldn’t know where to begin given all the steps, responsibilities, and requirements, alongside the added pressure of avoiding hefty mistakes. However, first-time buyers can leverage certain advantages; these include help from government programs, tax breaks, and loans. With the incentives listed above, it’s hard to resist investing in a house of your own.

Before actually heading out and finalizing a deal, there are certain criteria that need to be considered: finding the right property, finance sufficiency, home assessments, and agreeing upon the perfect offer. The finance side of things can be overwhelming in itself, however, a simple guide can help eliminate most of the doubt involved, so let’s proceed.

Points to Ponder Before Purchasing a House

1. Financial Stability

Before setting your heart on a dream home you need to review your finances, for both the actual purchase as well as all future expenses pertaining to your new home. The result of your review will ensure whether you’re ready for this new step and exactly how much you can actually invest. Consider emergency savings account a necessity, it should be more than enough to carry you through the initial months.

When you buy a home, substantial costs are consisting of down payment and concluding costs, savings can come in handy for these and also other necessary funding. Evaluate your monthly spending and budget to determine how much you can allot for a mortgage payment.

2. Ideal Home Style

When purchasing a home the options are limitless: modern family-style home, double story house, townhouse, condo, or a building with multiple housing units. Each has its advantages and disadvantages, you need to decide which best suits you and your family’s needs without going over budget. Some buyers prefer second-hand options due to cheaper initial costs, however, you should be mindful of repair and equity costs. Oftentimes they can end up being a lot more than what you traded a good quality home for!

3. Desired Features for your House

While an open mind and compromise are necessary, a list of certain priorities that you deem necessary for your home should be clearly set up. The list should include basic requirements such as the area and size of the house and neighborhood, availability of gardens or a lawn, etc. As well as smaller details like the styles of the kitchen and rooms, tile designs and space for appliances. Scouring the web and browsing through various real estate websites can help you get acclimatized with the pricing and availability of houses in desired neighborhood.

4. Qualifying for a Mortgage

Attaining a mortgage is one of the most vital steps during this purchase, several factors come into play while choosing one that suits your needs. Taking the time to research every option is better than exhausting all resources without a clear mind. This ensures you get the best option that suits your finances. It’s also beneficial to get a clear idea beforehand about the loan you might actually receive since it can be quite different from the amount you’re expecting. Realtors are more likely to fund people who are astute about their financial situation.

How to Make an Offer on a House - NerdWallet

A mortgage lender can arrange the best option for you via a mortgage broker. The selections for good mortgage brokers are endless and a thorough google search can help you find efficient and experienced mortgage brokers in Seattle and even in the United States of America.

5. The Home you can Afford

Oftentimes a bank can provide a loan that far exceeds your initial resolution to spend on a house, that doesn’t necessarily mean you should approve and accept the entirety of it. This is a common mistake many first-time buyers make, it can exhaust their resources and savings to the point of having next to nothing left over for other basic costs such as clothing, services, food, trips, etc. While deciding on the amount you would loan, you should consider the total costs of housing, monthly payments, down payments, property taxes for the neighborhood you chose, insurance costs, and the concluding closing costs.

6. Real Estate Agents

A trustworthy real estate agent will help in locating a property that meets your needs and wants while remaining within budget, or even efficiently. They can help negotiate the best deal for your ideal house, getting loans, closing an offer, and completing the necessary paperwork. Oftentimes they work on commission, cutting a deal from the procedure itself. A good agent can help overcome mistakes and downfalls you may encounter.

Alison Lurie

Alison Lurie