The busiest season for the real estate industry is the spring. With temperatures on the rise signs of life begin to be seen all around us. Flowers are blossoming, trees are blooming and homeowners are hitting the market with fresh listings. With spring comes a renewal in life, potential and inspiration. Spring is seen as the perfect time to take on a new adventure.
This is just one of the reasons why we see an increase in real estate transactions. Both buyers and sellers alike are looking to find a perfect match and be on the path of a new journey. Many real estate articles are centered on sellers and tips to selling a home however this leaves many buyers looking for tips of their own. Below buyers will find helpful industry tips to successfully purchase a home this spring.
1) Hire A Real Estate Professional
A real estate agent is so important to the home buying process. An agent that specializes in local real estate serves so many purposes from tour guide to financial advocate. Hire an experienced agent. When chosen carefully a realtor will represent your best interests in all transactions throughout the entire buying process. Buyers agents not only work to find the buyer the home of their dreams, they help with contractual paperwork, all negotiations, home inspections and concerns as they arise during the process.
Many buyers believe they cannot afford a real estate agent. This is however the furthest thing from the truth. In fact you can’t afford not to hire a realtor. It costs nothing to hire a buyer’s agent; in fact the seller of your dream home pays the commission so you have nothing to lose.
2) Get a Financial Profile Analysis and Mortgage Pre-Approval
Come up with a budget that helps you determine how much you are comfortable spending. This is a good place to start initially. Once this is completed it is important that you meet with a mortgage broker to examine how much money you are qualified to borrow. Do these two things before ever touring a home. If you meet with a mortgage specialists who says you are pre-approved for a two hundred thousand dollar mortgage but you are not comfortable with the monthly mortgage payment that comes along with it don’t tour homes with that price point.
Pre-approval on a mortgage helps to ensure that you will be taken seriously by sellers. It is more likely with a pre-approval that the bid you submit will be taken serious and that sellers will see you as an attractive buyer.
3) Determine Your Needs Verse Your Wants
All buyers have their own list of needs when looking at buying a home. Some families want to live near a good school system; others want big yards with area for their children and pets to roam. Some want easy commutes to work or specialized rooms like libraries and woodworking. Only you as a buyer can articulate what you desire out of your new home. Be sure to create a detailed list of the musts such as three bedrooms and two baths along with a list of wants such as a large basement and laundry off the kitchen. This will help to ensure that the real estate agent can better access homes to make sure they aren’t wasting your time or theirs on homes that don’t meet your needs.
The process of buying a home is simplified with the help of a professional real estate agent. Find a local realtor online to help you through the home buying process. Find out more about hiring a real estate agent who is ideal to assist in the home buying process on our blog.
Cross Country Mortgage in Brighton, Michigan provide mortgage services for clients including new home loans, refinancing, reversed mortgages, new purchase home mortgages and home equity loans to the entire Livingston County area including Brighton, Howell and Livingston County. Cross Country Mortgage Brighton, MI at http://brightoncrosscountry.com/.