The process of buying a home can often be overwhelming- sometimes people don’t even know where to start. If you follow a set of best practices, though, the process should be made much easier and stress-free.
Here are the steps involved in being a successful home buyer:
Credit
If you need a loan, it’s important to check your credit score. You can get a credit report for free once a year. This will help you know what kind of interest rate on your mortgage rate you can expect.
This goes hand in hand with setting a budget and figuring out how much you would like to pay for a new home. Try using the mortgage affordability calculator to do this.
Agent
Getting a real estate agent is critical. However you find them, make sure to look up reviews as well as interview them.
Pre-approval
Pre-approval for a loan can be very beneficial when you make an offer. Once a lender confirms how much they are willing to lend, they will give you written documentation that you can present to a seller. This will give the seller confidence that you can afford what you’re offering.
Searching
Once all of these things are done, it’s time to find your new home. You and your agent are now a team and can start looking for homes and going to visit them.
Offer
Once you’ve decided on your new place, it’s time to make an offer. Work with your agent to figure out how much to offer. The asking price is only a jumping-off point. Unfortunately, the next step is to wait, which can often feel quite suspenseful.
Home inspection
This is when a third-party home inspector will come and look over the home to make sure everything is in order. You can also use this time to measure things out and figure out what you’ll want to do with the space.
Logistics
It’s important to make sure you have home insurance and utilities squared away. If you’re happy with your current insurance carrier, simply tell them your new address and they’ll develop a new policy. Call your utility companies as well to make sure everything will be all set by the time you move in.
Closing and moving
On closing day, you’ll put your signatures on all the final papers. Then it’s time to collect the keys and move in!
Source: Zillow