And the answer is YES!!!!!   Interest rates are still an all time low and home prices are low. What better time than the jump in and buy a new home.

It is also a great time to sell your home. Buyers are still out there and with interest rates still low buyers are able to afford more and buy your home.

So give me a call if you are interested in buying or selling as I have some incredible ideas for you.

Step 1. Look Over Your Finances

One of the first home buying steps should always be a good review of your financial situation. You can bet that a mortgage lender will put your finances under the microscope, so you should do the same. Having a good credit score and savings for a down payment (unless you get 100% financing) is a must have in today’s market.

Step 2. Choose a Type of Mortgage

The next home buying step is choosing a type of mortgage loan. This part of the home buying process requires careful consideration on your part, because your mortgage will stay with you for some time (until you sell, refinance or pay the mortgage off).  Meeting with a mortgage lender will help you with this step as he/she will explain all the types of mortgages available.

Step 3. Get Pre-Approved

The will be choosing a mortgage lender and getting pre-approved. Pre-approval will help you greatly during the home buying process. For one thing, it will show sellers that you are serious about buying their home (and financially capable). This can make a big difference in whether or not they accept your offer. Another reason is to make sure you can get a loan. I have had some clients where we find their perfect dream home and come to find out they don’t qualify for a loan. So we are all devastated and feel we have wasted lots of time looking at homes they can’t get financing on. 

Step 4. Find a Real Estate Agent

Next you will need to find a qualified real estate agent to help you through the remaining home buying steps. The home buying process can move pretty fast, and there’s a lot at stake financially. So having a skilled agent on your side can help you avoid making costly mistakes, especially if it’s your first time buying a home. Also many people think they can do it on their own and save money if they don’t have an agent and that is not true. If you buy a home and don’t have an agent, the listing agent will just get double commission and you don’t save any money. So it is best to be represented with an agent.  And remember, having me be your agent for buying a home is FREE for you. The seller will pay me a commission.

Step 5. Choose a Neighborhood

Some buyers will neglect this particular home buying step, rushing off to look at houses without doing the proper research on neighborhoods. Which neighborhood you choose is almost as important as which home you choose. Neighborhoods have a direct influence on quality of life, social and recreational satisfaction, property values, commute time, educational opportunities and more. So doing a little neighborhood research is a crucial step to buying a home.

The Last 5 steps to buying a home will be in the next post.