Where to Start When Buying

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

Ask your friends. A referral from a friend that you trust is a good place to start. Your friends are the people who know you best and they will be able to judge whether or not their agent would be a good fit for you.
It is important that you choose several agents to interview in person.
Research the internet - you will find out what you do and don't like about the agent by looking at a few different websites.
 
Call or email Megan Today!

Ask Questions

If this is your first time purchasing a home, chances are you have a lot of questions about what the process is and what you are expected to do, what the costs involved are, who to contact, how to view houses and so on. Always ask your Realtor as many questions as you can.

No question is a bad question. Your Sales Professional will have the answers for you and it is their job to help you understand the process regardless of how many questions you may have.

It may even help to write down all your questions. This way, you will not overlook anything and can maximize the amount of information you will be able to get from your Sales Representative in an efficient way.

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.
Ask Megan for her 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..