REAL TipS: BUYING

So it's time to buy a house?

By Dave Turnquist, e-PRO
Texas REALTOR®
ERA Silver Star Realty, Pearland

Here are some steps to follow to make the process go easier and ensure a successful outcome:

• Once you’ve decided you’re in the market, spend some time checking out your financial options. It makes a lot of sense to take care of your financing before you look for the perfect home. By getting preapproved, you can feel confident that you already have a good interest rate and that you know how much home you can afford. It makes no sense to spend your time looking at $180,000 homes only to find out that your lender will approve you for no more than $130,000.
• Check out the places that you are interested in living. If you can't visit the neighborhood in person, try to find information on the Internet via neighborhood Web sites, REALTOR® Web sites, Chamber of Commerce Web sites, local newspaper Web sites, etc. By doing a little research ahead of time, you can usually narrow down the areas where you want to live and know a little about home prices and amenities in the area.
• Finding the right REALTOR® for you is important. Take the time to interview several buyer's agents to see what they will do for you and if you really get along with them personality-wise. You don't want to spend several weeks looking at homes and writing a contract for a home with someone you don't feel comfortable with.
• Once you find the REALTOR® who is right for you, make sure that you work together as a team. The more information you give your REALTOR®, the more he or she can help you. Stay in touch and continue to do some of the footwork yourself, such as finding/eliminating prospective homes and riding by some of the homes to see if you really want to go inside.

Share with your REALTOR® what you’ve found and ask questions. When you work together as a team, the outcome is sure to be successful and beneficial for both you and your REALTOR®.

Dave Turnquist, e-PRO
ERA Silver Star Realty, Pearland
dave@silverstarrealty.com
281/412-5050