How To Buy A Home
For many people, buying a home is the biggest deal they will ever make in their lives, so it’s important not to leave anything to chance. Buying a home can sometimes seem complicated, but if you know how to do it, you will soon be able to fulfill your dream and become the owner of your own home.
How To Buy A Home Photo
How To Buy A Home Photo Source: wikipedia.org
How To Buy A Home Tutorial and Other Information
Part 1
Finance
1.
Find a mortgage. Wondering why you should buy a mortgage first and then choose a home? Shouldn’t it be the other way around? Not always! When you choose a mortgage first, it will be more convenient for you:
You will know exactly how much money you can borrow. People often like homes they can’t afford and try to get a mortgage that will allow them to buy them. When you first find a mortgage and then a home, you will only be able to choose between homes that are in your price category.
Think about how much money you will be able to pay immediately. You should at least have a rough estimate before you look for a mortgage.
2
If you reach for a mortgage, find the best deals. Mortgages are often more advantageous for people who are not burdened with other debts. Go to the bank and ask what options you have.
3
Talk to a lawyer. If you think buying a home will be easy, you will probably only need a real estate agent and a mortgage banker. However, there may be some problems. Find a good lawyer to help you.
If you are going to spend a lot of money on a home, it is good to find a lawyer to help you.
A lawyer will also come in handy if you want to buy a home that is part of a estate.
If you feel that the home seller is backing away from the sale or you don’t trust him, also find a lawyer.
Part 2
Buying a home
1
Find a good real estate agent to represent you when negotiating and finding a home. A real estate agent should be successful, open, confident and well qualified. Find out how much money you will pay him and what his experience is. Find a local agent who has sold at least a few homes in the last year and has a good reputation.
Real estate agents usually work for sellers, but you don’t mind. Their job is to connect people who want to sell a home with people who want to buy it. It is therefore in his interest to secure the sale of the home. A good real estate agent will use his experience to find you the right home.
When you find a real estate agent, describe in detail the home you are looking for – the number of rooms, garages, land and everything else that is important to you, such as lighting or a garden for children.
2
Start looking for homes in your price range. Work with a real estate agent, but don’t forget which homes you can afford and which you can’t. You should choose a home that does not cost more than two and a half times the sum of your household’s annual salaries.
Use online mortgage calculators and follow the mortgage you chose earlier. Gradually prepare to buy your new home.
3
Start thinking about what kind of home you really want. You probably already have some idea of what your new home should look like, but now you should focus on the details. Think about the following things:
What will you and your family need in a few years? You may only be a couple so far, but think about whether you’re planning kids in the future. If you buy a home that is only suitable for two people, you could have problems with children in the future.
What concessions are you willing to make? In other words, what are your priorities? Although people think that buying a home is a simple matter, it is often very complicated and it is necessary to make compromises. Do you care more about the big garden or about being around a good school? Do you want a large kitchen or a large bedroom? What things will you be willing to regret if necessary?
Do you think you will start making more money in the next few years? If you’ve seen wage increases in recent years and work in a safe and ever-evolving industry, you can probably afford to buy a more expensive home. Some people buy expensive homes because they are confident that they will be able to pay the mortgage.
4
Choose the area in which you want to live. Find out what homes are available in this area. View prices, civic amenities and schools. Read the local newspaper and talk to the local people. Take a walk around the home and look at other homes to make sure you are not buying a single candidate home in the area.
The area in which the home is located is often more important than the home itself, because it has a great influence on the selling price. Buying a good home in the right area is a great investment. When you are familiar with the areas in which people want to live, you may be able to buy a home whose value will continue to grow.
5
Go to several homes to be clear about what homes are available on the market. Pay attention to the overall layout of rooms, kitchens, bathrooms and other rooms. Go to the homes that interest you at different times of the day to know what the traffic situation is like in the area, what the parking options are, or whether there will be a lot of noise in the area. Some areas may be completely quiet at lunchtime, but very noisy in the evening.
6
See comparable homes in the area. If you are unsure of the price, have the home valued by an experienced appraiser. The appraiser will search for comparable homes in the area and compare their prices. If your home is more expensive than other comparable homes, be careful. Don’t buy the most expensive home around. Your bank may back away from financing and the value of your home will no longer grow. If possible, buy the cheapest home in the area – when other homes are sold for more money, the value of your home will increase.
Part 3
Offer
1
If possible, adapt your offer to the seller’s capabilities. It won’t be easy, but it’s always worth a try. Here are the things to keep in mind:
What financial possibilities does the seller have? Does he need money or does he have a lot of money? If the seller desperately needs money, you will have a better chance of getting a better price.
How long has the home been on the market? Houses that have been on the market for a long time are usually sold at a lower price.
Has the seller already bought another home? If the home seller has already bought another home and does not live in the home you want to buy, you may be able to get it at a lower price.
2
Before you come up with an offer, look for comparable homes. Find out what the basic set price of homes in the area was and for how much money they ended up selling. If homes in the area are sold for less try to offer the seller a price 8-10% lower than its set price.
3
Calculate the estimated cost of housing. Calculate the annual property tax and insurance and add this amount to the price of the home you intend to buy. Add all the other costs of transcribing the home. If the resulting number is higher than 25% of your gross income, you will probably have trouble getting a mortgage.
Decide if you want to sell your old home. If so, your offer will be conditional on this sale. These offers are riskier because the sale cannot take place until the old home of the buyer is sold. So it is best to offer your old home for sale first.
4
If you really like a home, get ready to offer a higher price. The laws of supply and demand can sometimes drive you into a corner. If you like a home that other people like, you will have to offer the highest amount you can afford. Some people think that you shouldn’t offer the highest possible price, but if you feel that someone might overtake you, it’s always a good idea to offer the seller everything you have.
5
When you are ready to make an offer, talk to your real estate agent. Although the process may vary, you should first present your offer to a real estate agent, who will pass it on to the dealer. The seller will then decide whether to accept, reject or give you a counter-offer.
Once you make an offer, you are legally obliged to pay the seller the price you set. Your agent will solve the purchase formalities and help you close the deal.
Part 4
Closing the deal
1
Find out how much money you will have to pay on the spot. This is money from which you will not have to pay interest. The more money you can pay at once, the less you overpay on the mortgage.
You should pay at least 10-20% of the value of the home determined by the appraiser. Keep in mind that the estimated price may be higher or lower than your purchase price. If you have prepared $500,000 which you can pay immediately, you can use it as a payment for a home that costs $5-10 millions.
If you can’t afford to pay 10-20% of the estimated home price, but you have a stable income, you will probably be able to reach for a mortgage. You will need to take out a first mortgage worth 80% of the purchase price of the home and a second mortgage for the remaining amount. The second mortgage will probably be more expensive than the first, but it should still cost you less than a single high-interest mortgage.
2
The final offer should be conditional on an inspection of the home. Request the following inspections: inspections, pests, dry rot, radon, harmful materials, landslides, earthquake risk and crime statistics (you will have 7-10 days to complete all inspections – arrange everything in advance with the real estate agent before signing the contract.
A tour of the home will cost you some money, but it is definitely worth investing in it, because thanks to it you can avoid big losses. This is especially true for old homes, which have a higher risk of harmful substances, asbestos insulation and mold.
If you negotiate a lower price due to the results of the inspection, do not state this in the contract. The bank may request inspection documents that could replace the appraiser’s estimate.
3
Find out how much you will pay for energy. It is essential to find out how much you will pay for water, heating and electricity. If you don’t know how much these things will cost, you will not avoid the potential financial burden. Buyers only roughly estimate these prices and it is therefore necessary to find out exactly.
How To Buy A Home Tips
Save a lot of money on it before you start looking for a home to buy!
Try not to fall in love with a single home. It’s good to know exactly what you want, but if you only like one home, you run the risk of paying much more than its value. It may also happen that the deal will not take place in the end. Be willing to look for other homes as well. No home is so perfect that you pay too much money for it.
Never carry a meter with you and do not measure rooms! The real estate agent would immediately know that you have fallen in love with the home and will ask for a higher price.
How To Buy A Home Warnings
If the seller does not agree to inspect the home, he is probably trying to hide something – find another home instead.
The economy is in bad shape and some people say it is good to buy homes now. Others say it’s a bad time to buy real estate. We recommend that you think about it well and discuss everything with your family.
Beware of real estate agents who will force you to buy quickly. He may be trying to hide something from you. Watch out for any unusual offers.