First Time Home Buyers

You've made the decision to buy your first home and now your challenge is to figure out where to start and what is going to be involved in the process. Many people agree that moving is one of the most stressful events in your life. You can reduce a lot of the stress in a move by planning, researching and preparing. There may be certain things that are beyond your control, or situations that do not go according to plan. By having a great realtor and good plan mapped out you will be able to view the experience as a more exciting and positive adventure rather than a negative one.

Choose a Real Estate Professional You Trust
   
It is important to find the right Realtor. A good Realtor is someone that you are comfortable with; someone to look after your best interest!
It doesn't hurt to interview several real estate agents before making that final decision.
 

Ask Questions

Speak to your Spouse or Partner
By speaking to your family, spouse or partner ahead of time, you can eliminate a lot of wasted time once your out looking for your dream home. Make sure that you are all on the same page by being in agreement with the type of home you wish to purchase including your likes, dislikes and commitment to making such an important purchase.

Look at your Financial Status
Before you start the hunt for your new home, take a closer look at your financial situation. Making sure that you are up-to-date on bill payments will guarantee that your Credit Rating is in good status.
Make a list of all your monthly expenses and make sure that you are able to cover all of them each month.

Click here to get Megan's personal Monthly Planning Budget Spreadsheet to help you consider all your monthly costs.

Set Your Budget
Decide on the amount of money you are willing to commit to your new mortgage and advise your Sales Professional of this amount. Remember to give yourself a price range that you are comfortable with. An exact amount is hard to work with, but a range will allow your Professional Sales Representative the chance of showing you different options of houses on the market. A budget range will also allow you some room for negotiation when you find that perfect home.

Contact Your Financial Institution for a pre-approved Mortgage
Nothing is more disappointing than finding your dream home and then being declined by your bank. Before you look for your new home make sure you pre-qualify for the Mortgage amount you are looking for.

Start looking
Once that your Mortgage has been pre-approved, your accounts are in good order and you have a trustworthy Real Estate Sales Representative like Megan on your side, you can go ahead and start the search for your new home.
There are a lot of really great resources for you to take advantage of. The internet is one place to start your search. MLS sites or sites like this one are full of great listings, but the very best resource is your Real Estate Sales Professional. Professionals like Megan have all the tools they need right at their finger tips. Megan has the most up-to-date MLS listings, she knows her market areas and will give you great ideas as well as listen to your ideas of what you are looking for. 

Remember to give Megan enough time to set up several appointments at once. This process sometimes takes a little time to set up due to the number of people who may need to be contacted and schedule in.  As each home owner is contacted, Megan will adjust and juggle all the times to work into your planned time frame in the most efficient sequence possible. By spending a few hours going to different houses in one outing, you will be able to maximize your research and get a good idea of what is currently on the market. This will eliminate the necessity of multiple outings spread out over days.

Remember to be patient with the process. There are many people involved in the sale of a house and the ultimate goal is to find your dream home..