Sunday, March 2, 2014

Finding The Best Real Estate Advice For Buyers

By Charmaine Foreman


There are many reasons why people prefer to own a home instead of renting. One reason is that renting means you are living on the property of another person who has control over the property, while the renter has very little control. Owning a home is a means to obtaining control over the place where you live. Another reason is that homeownership is often seen as a good long-term investment. If home ownership interests you, then you will need good real estate advice for buyers.

The first thing to remember is that you should not buy a home if you cannot stay in the place for at least a few years. There are many transaction costs involved with buying a home and you do not want to lose money by selling the home too soon. Give the house a chance to appreciate in value, at least five to ten years. If you and your spouse are not yet settled, or if you think your job may require you to relocate, then you should probably wait before purchasing a home.

The second thing to consider is how good your credit rating currently is. Make sure that your credit history has nothing questionable or outstanding in it. Since you will probably need to apply for a mortgage in order to purchase a home, your credit is important. Banks and lending agencies will be looking into your financial records, so you should get a copy of your credit report to ensure that the facts listed there are correct and fix any discrepancies.

To research insurance companies and get an idea of what the insurance premiums will be, look at properties in the area where you plan to buy. Call a local insurance agent and ask them for an estimate. This estimate should be given to you free of charge with no obligations. To find out about the property taxes, look for websites that publish property tax information. Remember that there are exemptions and tax law varies from state to state.

You will also need to make a down payment when buying a home. Sometimes lenders will allow you to make a small down payment if you do not have the full twenty percent payment which they typically require. You will need to be careful, however, since normally customers are charged higher interest rates for not making a large enough down payment.

When looking for a home to buy, it is often a good idea to buy a place in a neighborhood with good schools. The obvious reason is that you want to ensure your kids have a good quality education. However, even if you do not have children, your home may still be attractive to people who do, whenever you are ready to sell it. The good schools can help to boost the value of the property.

Make sure that you speak with a reputable agent in your town that knows the industry very well and can give you good guidance throughout the process. Ask them if they think that property prices will continue to fall or if the market in your area has hit the bottom yet.

When choosing an agent, ask friends and family who have purchased property recently who they would recommend. Make sure you have an agent who is properly certified and experienced in the field.




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