I’m ready!
Thinking about buying? This is a great place to start…
Get your paperwork in order
We all want to jump right in and start looking at houses right away, but just like most things in life…You will need to start at the beginning. It will give you a head start so when you find the right house you will be ready. For some insight as to how this will give you the leg up, click below.
What will I need?
Generally, to get started, you will need the following paperwork:
- 2 years tax returns plus w2/1099 forms
- 6 months bank statements (all pages)
- 6 months 401k/retirement account statements
- 2 months pay stubs all jobs
Speak to a lender (or three)
Believe it or not, just because you started the process with someone, doesn’t mean you need to stick with them. If they are not earning your business, shop around! This will also help you determine if you need to do any credit repair, save more to meet your needs or if you are good to start shopping. I would be happy to make lender recommendations for stellar lenders I have worked with in the past.
Interview buyer’s agents.
That’s right. You are in the drivers seat here. Interview several agents and find the right fit before you start shopping. It is a really disappointing to get into a contract with an agent that you find out doesn’t have any experience in an area or knowledge about issues that may be pertinent to the properties you are looking at.
Check out neighborhoods
Checking out neighborhoods and towns during different hours of the day is an important step that many buyers miss- especially if they are new to the process. This will give you an idea for neighborhood noise, car traffic etc. This was personally a deciding factor for my family in the house we live in now. On our third visit, we saw lots of kids playing outside in the neighborhood. That sealed the deal. Stick to only looking at neighborhoods that have homes that are in your budget.
Make a list!
You will want to make a list. Make a list of must haves and a list of things that would be a bonus. Remember, the perfect house is really hard to find…. and if you find it, chances are there are other buyers that think it is perfect, too. That might mean a bidding war or higher price tag. Try to wrap your mind around the idea of the 80% perfect home… where its 80% what you want, 10% what you can change, and 10% what you can maybe live with. Consult with me if you need help defining your list… I’ve done this a few times.
Go shopping!
This is the part where it comes together. We see the homes in the neighborhood you like that also meet the size and most other criteria you find important. I say most here because sometimes we should look at the houses that are fixers (even if you want one totally remodeled) so you can see the floorpan. That way, if you like the floorpan, when an updated model match comes up, we are already know you will like the layout.
Lizzy Corvello- Realtor 