Top tips for home purchase
Introduction
Homes purchase is something that most people do in their life time. Different people practice homes purchase due to different reasons that are often meant to cater for their needs. Homes purchase can be overwhelming and frustrating at the same time because of the many steps that a person has to follow and the number of meetings that are scheduled. The following are essential tips that will guide a person who is preparing to make a home purchase and help them avoid a circumstance where they are coned by the home seller or where they end buying something that does not cater for their needs.
Step 1
Set a budget
Before starting to look for a home to buy, it is important to have asset budget of the amount of money that you intend to spend during the homes purchase. Having a budget defines the kind of homes purchase you will make, the features you will be looking for and the amount of mortgage you will apply for if need be. Remember to budget for something that you can afford and that which will not strain you financially.
Step 2
Shop for a home
After setting the budget, the next thing to do would be to shop for a home purchase that is within the budget and caters for your special needs. At this stage it is important to involve your family members by asking them of the kind of home they would want so that you can consider their taste and needs as you shop for a home. You could shop for a home online or looking at the newspapers for advertisements.
Step 3
Inspect the home
After settling for a home that is within your budget and caters for your needs and those of your family, it is important to do a home inspection of the home. Go through every detail of the home with the home seller and make sure you note down anything that is not in place or that is damaged. In most cases the sellers are not allowed to make any repairs but if the home buyer requests it can be done. During this stage of home purchase you could hire the services of a home inspector and valuer who will help you in determining the worth of the home.
Step 4
Seek professional help
Homes purchase is a big decision and it involves spending a lot of money and it is therefore important to hire professional help so that you can reduce the chances of making any mistakes. Hiring the services of a lawyer would be essential to help you in understanding the contracts and in the verification of documents that the home seller provides.
Step 5
Check your credit report
Since most home buyers apply for mortgages to help them in settling the homes purchase price, it is important to go through your credit report even though you may be sure that it is clean. There may be some errors that lower your credit score without your knowledge. Most mortgage lenders are reluctant to lend money to the people with a negative credit report.
Step 6
Look for a mortgage lender
Shop around for a good mortgage lender who will offer good rates and some reasonable monthly charges. Go through their terms and conditions before accepting to work with them. Do more research about the mortgage lender online and look for the customer reviews and ratings.
Step 7
Home area
When shopping for a home, make sure that you look for a home with the relevant social amenities like the schools, hospitals, good roads and churches. This is because, your home will have more value when you will want to sell it due to the good social amenities around it.
Step 8
Protect your home
Nobody would want to lose their home after going through the whole process of homes purchase. It is therefore important to insure your home and everything that in it because as we all know, it is better safe than sorry.
Tips
If you are working with an agent during the homes purchase process, insist on knowing and meeting with the real home owner. This will help in dealing with problems that may arise faster and also reduce the chance of exploitation by the agent.
Sources and Citations
http://homebuying.about.com/od/buyingahome/bb/buyhome.htm
http://money.cnn.com/magazines/moneymag/money101/lesson8/index.htm