What Questions Should I Ask About Buying A Home?

Nothing makes you feel more secure like buying your first home. Yet with all the excitement you will probably experience some anxiety. I would like to allay your fears by giving you the information you need, upfront. Remember, knowledge is power! Empowered first-time homebuyers make smarter homebuying decisions!

First of all, are you ready for the responsibility of owning a home?

Assess your readiness for homeownership. Now is the time for a reality check. How are you:

How do I know what is important in my new home?

Now is the time to figure out what size of home you need. Also, in which city or neighborhood you'd like to live. Does your first home need to be near your office, a particular school or shopping? Decide how many bedrooms and bathrooms you need. Once you've come up with these criteria, your home search will be much easier.

As a First-time Homebuyer – do I need a Realtor?

As your real estate professional, I will help you with all the details involved in buying your first home. You should expect your Realtor to have many years of experience with all the details involved in buying a home. Because of my experience and expertise, I will make your homebuying experience understandable and even enjoyable. You can expect to get the most home for your money and make sure you're getting the best representation. For a more thorough explanation “ Why you need a Realtor”, take a look at my article on the topic now!

How much house can you afford?

One of the biggest concerns for first-time buyers is how much they can afford. There is no simple answer as there are many factors that must be considered such as your income, how much debt you owe, what kind of mortgage is right for you, along with other considerations.

As a general rule of thumb, it is suggested that the mortgage not exceed 33% of your gross income. This calculation will put you in the ballpark for the amount you can afford. Together, we will assess your financial situation. A lender will pre-qualify you for a loan, which will tell you how much you're eligible to borrow. Take a look at the mortgage calculator, to see how interest rates and loan amounts impact your monthly payment. If you would like to be pre-qualified, take a look now.

Which mortgage is right for me?

There are many types of mortgage options available to first-time homebuyers. Frankly, it can sometimes be a daunting task to figure out which mortgage is right for you. For more information, visit the Real Estate Glossary. Together with a professional lender partner, we will analyze your financial situation to determine which mortgage program best fits your needs.

How do I start looking for my new home?

Once you've made the decision now is the time to buy your first home, and you are pre-qualified, the fun stuff begins. Now you can begin your home search. So how do you do it?

As your Realtor, I will help you search for your first home based on your search criteria. I will review the inventory in the location of your choice to find the most suitable homes for you to preview. All you have to do is look at the houses that meet your search criteria and decide which ones you like.

You may use this site’s search feature for all available homes for sale in the Multiple Listing Service to see any you might be interest in. Once you have found several homes of interest be sure to save your “favorites” in your property organizer. Then I will schedule a showing for each home you have selected.

Okay, now you've found “the” house, what’s next?

As your Realtor, I will help you through this entire process - from making the offer to the closing of your new home.

Buying your first home is a major accomplishment. I guarantee the process will be exhilarating with as little stress as possible. By following these steps, you will experience a positive homebuying outcome.

If you are thinking about buying your first Cleveland area home, contact me today and we will meet to discuss your homebuying options.

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