Home Shopping 101

1. Hire a realtor to assist you in your search.
2. Don't look at houses outside of your price range.
3. Tell your realtor the price range you can afford and the area you are interested in. Let your realtor know what features are "must have" and what things are "nice to have". Make sure your realtor knows you are pre-approved.
4. Make yourself available as much as possible to look at homes.
5. Don't look at houses you can't afford, after you have been looking at homes out of your price range, it seems that nothing else is quite good enough.
6. Don't spend more than you feel you can afford, even if you qualify for a larger mortgage; stick with what you are comfortable with.
7. In a hot market, do your homework so that when a house comes on the market, you are ready to make an offer.
8. Don't buy the wrong size house. Try to look ahead 4-7 years from now. Will that house be big enough for you? Are you planning for children? Are elderly parents going to move in with you? Think about that and plan accordingly.
9. Make sure you get the right mortgage for you situation. Start by knowing how long you think you will live in that home, then choose the right mortgage that will give you the best terms.
10. Get the right homeowner's insurance, you should always purchase guaranteed replacement insurance. Make sure you have enough coverage on the contents. Also check for special government sponsored disaster insurance for some areas, i.e. flood insurance.
11. Once the offer is accepted, hire a competent, and independent home inspector.
12. Be present at the inspection, don't be shy to ask questions.

HAPPY HOUSE HUNTING!