Category: First Time Home Buyers

The Home Search: Experience vs. Online Tools



July 18, 2010I was just sitting down to write about why online home searches can give an incomplete picture.  Since I haven’t been home searching in a while, I went back to my old friend Zillow to look at the home we almost purchased.  One feature I really loved on Zillow is that it gives the transaction history from public record, so you can see how much the current owners bought it for, etc.  This...

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...

Possible Extension of Tax Credit Deadline for New Home Buyers



June 30, 2010Missed Your Closing Deadline for the Tax Credit?  Don’t despair; you may still get the credit you deserve! Are you one of about 180,000 home buyers that went into contract by April 30th but may miss the tax credit because you haven’t closed yet?  Because of the popularity of the tax credit, lenders and appraisers have experienced closing delays.   If this is affecting you, there is good...

Top Four Things You Should Know About Your Buyers Contract



June 30, 2010When you are buying a home, you will sign several contracts.   If you are working with a buyer’s agent, you will sign a buyer agency agreement.  When you have found a home you would like to buy, you will sign a buyers contract, or contract to buy and sell real estate. 1.   Understand the finances set in your buyers contract. Your buyers contract will define your purchase price and terms...

Home Viewing Advice: Tips For Finding Your Dream Home



June 25, 2010Develop a "Dream Home List." My husband and I had developed a list of characteristics to help find our future home when we first started house hunting.  We defined “must” haves and “want” to haves.  The list included everything from price range, to age of home, to location, to basic floor plan.  We each wrote our own list, without consulting the other, and then combined lists to come...

Buyer Closing Costs: The Basics



June 23, 2010What are buyer closing costs? Another term I didn’t know before beginning our home search was “closing costs.” Closing costs means more money that you have to scrounge up to buy a home on top of the down payment.   This term will come up when you are looking for a loan or making an offer on a home.   There are several decisions you can make regarding how you pay your closing...