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Professional Advice & Friendly Service

Figure out your finances.

That means determining how much money you can raise for your down payment and how much you can afford to pay on a monthly basis. Go to a lender to find out the size of mortgage you qualify for and get pre-approved. Better yet, use a mortgage broker to find you the best mortgage rate possible. When calculating the costs of home ownership, remember to plan for homeowner's insurance, property taxes, private mortgage insurance (if required), utilities, repairs, and maintenance.  If you would like lender recommendations, I have worked with a several.  Go to:   http://www.hud.gov/buying/index.cfm#afford for information on the buying process and how much you could afford.  Contact me when you are ready to shop for loans or start the buying process.  I am here to help!

Always get an inspection.

Any purchase offer you make should be contingent upon your approval of a qualified home inspector's report, even when buying a new or almost new home. If you don't already have an inspector in mind, as your Realtor, I have a few inspectors that I and many other Keller William's agents have worked with that I can highly recommend, or you can contact the Better Business Bureau for a list.  Even if your lender does not require it, you may want to consider conducting a full land survey--property line disputes could potentially cost you thousands down the road, and are typically not covered by title insurance.

Identify suitable neighborhoods when buying

If it's not located in a neighborhood you like, your new house will never feel like home no matter how nice it is. There are several factors that go into making a "good" neighborhood for most people. It should be safe, close to things that are important to you, and should offer the services you depend on, such as healthcare and convenient shopping. Ambiance and curb appeal may be particularly important to you. Whatever your criteria, once you have a better idea of the areas you are interested in, find out as much as you can about each area's demographics, crime rate, schools, traffic, etc. Check out the county and state records for this information, or you can use Yahoo!'s "Get Local" online service. You can even try the local Chambers of Commerce, but bear in mind that they are in the business of attracting new residents to their neighborhood.