* Real Estate Articles and Q & A *

Cindy, first of all, congrats to you on pre-approval. Well, the home prices are coming down, interest rates are low and it seems like a good time to purchase a home. You must be very excited and can’t wait to make an offer on a beautiful home. But, before you jump on this house, make certain that you are making the right move. No, I don’t mean to scare you, but I would like to give you a couple of friendly hints before you purchase a house in a good or bad real estate market. These are basic guidelines for everyone.

1- Make sure you pre-qualify (if not pre-approved) for a loan. When calculating monthly home mortgage, do not forget to consider property tax, fire insurance, home owner’s association dues (if any) and private mortgage insurance (if the down payment is less than 20%).

2- Decide the area you want to live in.

3- Check the school district (even if you don’t have kids. It help when selling  your home).

4- Decide how big a house (bedrooms, baths etc.) you really need.

5- Consider how long you want to live in the new house.

6- Calculate how far you want to live from your work (you will be driving for a long time, unless you telecommute or have a chauffeur).

7- After you choose a neighborhood, talk to neighbors and ask questions.

8- Check neighborhood activities by driving there in the day time and also at night time.

9- Look at the upkeep of the front yards of neighbors and the home structures in your future neighborhood.

10- Call me to find you a home in the neighborhood.

11- After you choose a house, I will provide you the current home sales report on somewhat similar properties. I will give you my professional opinion, but make an offer that you think is reasonable in your eyes.

12- NEVER think of purchasing a home that you cannot afford comfortably. This is a long time commitment (of course, besides the marriage).

These are just a few quick tips. Good luck to you.

The information provided is not and should not be considered legal advice. Nor do I promise or guarantee that the information contained on this post or any linked site is accurate, correct, complete, or current. You should seek the advice of competent counsel licensed to practice in your state to answer specific legal questions.