Category: First Time Home Buyers

Are You Ready for Home Ownership?



August 25, 2010I have read many articles that help people decide if they are ready to become a home owner.  They tend to focus only on the financial obligation of home ownership.   Can you afford the monthly payments?  Do you have good credit and manage your credit?  Can you afford the maintenance of a home?  Especially now, these questions are on everyone’s mind when thinking about home...

Which Comes First: the Home Loan or the Home?



August 9, 2010Should a Home Buyer Seek Pre-Approval or a Home First? Starting a home search can feel a little bit like the “Chicken and the Egg” riddle.  Should a buyer become pre-qualified for a home loan first, before finding a home they would like to purchase?   Or, should a buyer start shopping for homes before knowing what type of loan they might qualify for? The Real Estate Division of the...

Top Three Reasons It is a Great Time to Buy . . . For Me



July 9, 2010I was going to write a blog explaining why it is a great time to buy, in general.  But, given the times we are in, it is a little bit difficult to make blanket statements like that.  I think we all might have a new appreciation for the complexities of real estate, and the good old value of the dollar.  I don’t think many people are in the business of spending money on a whim right now,...

How Our Buyer’s Agent Saved us Money.



July 5, 2010Does working with an experienced buyer’s agent pay off? For us it did.  Our agent’s experience and knowledge steered us away from buying a home that was not at a good value. We also saw the negative impact that the seller’s agent may have had on the seller. Timely responses are critical. We had made an offer on a home that was listed for $220,000 of $205,000.  The seller’s agent did...

Mission Impossible 10 : Preparing for Closing Tomorrow



June 16, 2010This is one of those things where I always thought that by the time I buy a house I’m going to be this incredibly responsible super person that never pays late fees or does things at the last minute. Unfortunately, I have not yet transformed into that person. Today I had the seemingly simple task of “getting the things together that we need at closing.”  Sounds easy enough, right? ...

Being In Contract Reminds Me of Being 9 Months Pregnant:



June 11, 2010Anxiously awaiting the new part of your life as your current living situation becomes more and more uncomfortable. It’s been one million degrees in Denver for the last few days, and we don’t have air conditioning.  But our new house does.  Our new house is becoming more and more the oasis in the middle of the desert.   Someone stole my parking spot in front of our house and we don’t...

buyer’s agents Serve As Your Guide



June 3, 2010When your favorite fantasy character seems like a good person to turn too, it’s time to call an exclusive buyer’s agent. One thing that I wished I could find when I first decided to buy a home was a simple list of the steps involved in buying a house.  How do I get started?  Should I call a bank? Should I look online at houses? Should I call a real estate agent?  All I knew is that I...