TIME TO BUY.
Your Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Barnbrook Realty Partner is here to help you Prepare for House Hunting
-The ‘right’ time to buy. Trying to anticipate the housing market is impossible. It goes up; it goes down. The best time to buy is when you find the perfect house, and you can afford it;
-Be prepared.
--Qualify: your Barnbrook Realty partner will help shop for the right bank and right mortgage so you are pre-approved and qualified for a loan. This means a lender has looked at your financial information and will let you know how much you can afford, and how much they will lend you. You will be prepared when you find the right house;
--Budget: consider costs beyond mortgage payments. Insurance, utilities, property taxes, repairs and maintenance – monthly household expenses.
--List your top priorities: neighborhood, style and size of home (# bedrooms, baths, formal vs informal floor plan, etc.), yard, school requirements, internet availability, amenities that impact on your lifestyle;
-Choose a home you love.
--Don’t ask for too many opinions. Friends and family often have very different priorities than buyers. Focus on the wants and needs of you and those who will be actually living in the home;
--Successful bidding: your opening bid should be based on 1) what you can afford and 2) what you think the house is worth. Make your opening bid something that is fair and reasonable and isn’t going to offend the seller. Your Barnbrook Realty partner will be invaluable in helping you with this process;
--Expect stress! Once you’ve found the right home, have begun the bidding process, and are awaiting a home inspection report it will be natural to experience ‘buyer’s remorse’ and extreme tension. This is when your Barnbrook Realty partner’s strong, experienced shoulder will be there for you to lean on. He/she has been through this many, many times before and will be comforting, reassuring, and will help to keep you updated on progress and likely outcome.
--And finally: while a home is still considered a great investment, its most important role is as a comfortable, safe place to live. Barnbrook Realty is here to help you find just that – an attractive, comfortable and safe place to live. A place you can hang your hat and call HOME.