Get Ready to Buy

You’re ready to buy – or maybe you’re just ready to start seriously thinking about buying. There’s a lot you can do to prepare. With so much information available at your fingertips, you may already be doing a lot of your own research. Here are a few things to keep in mind while you get started.

Determine your price range
You may want to start by finding out how much house you can afford and what you are willing to pay. I can also refer you to a loan officer who can assist you with determining how much of a down payment you can afford, along with a monthly payment you are comfortable with. If your really ready, getting pre-approved for a mortgage will help focus your home search.

List what’s important to you
Imagine your ideal home and community. Now make a list of everything you saw in your vision. Make sure you sort out which items are necessities and which are lower priority. Your list can include things such as: number of bedrooms, need for a yard for the kids or pets to play in, style of home, and whether or not great schools or convenient shopping areas are part of your ideal neighborhood.

Look around – a lot
Some people look at many homes before finding just the right one. Some see “the one” immediately. Looking at lots of different homes can help you discover what you really want in your new home.I can tour homes with you on your schedule and create a personal checklist for each home. Even if you’re not ready to start working with an agent quite yet, we invite you to visit open houses in your area. Windermere.com allows you to narrow your home search to just open houses so you can start looking at homes this weekend.