CLOSING PROCEDURES AND MOVING

Your sales professional can help you with many of these considerations:

Are all the necessary inspections complete?
Are all the required repairs complete?
When will you conduct your final walk-through inspection?
Is your attorney satisfied that title to the property is clear (no one else has a claim on it)?
Have you confirmed a date, time, and place for your closing?
Who will conduct the [...]

MAKING AN OFFER

When I’ve found the home I like, how do I make an offer?

When you’ve found a special house you want to call home, you’ll probably feel excited and a bit nervous. Let the sales professional know you’re ready to write an ” offer to purchase” — a written document that declares how much you are willing [...]

APPRAISALS, INSPECTIONS, LEGAL, INSURANCE

How do I know I’m getting the best value for my money?

A professional appraisal is the best way to tell if a home is priced fairly. A real estate appraisal is an unbiased opinion of a property’s value based on its style and appearance, construction quality, usefulness, and other factors, including the value of comparable properties nearby.
When [...]

HOME HUNTING TIPS

When I start visiting homes, what should I be looking for the first time through?

The house you ultimately choose to call home will play a major role in your family’s life. A home can be an excellent investment, but more importantly, it should fit the way you live, with spaces and features that appeal to [...]

UNDERSTANDING LISTINGS

If I’m moving a considerable distance, is there any way I can screen homes before I start traveling?

Yes. Today’s Multiple Listing Services (MLS) — which include as much as 90 percent of the homes listed in any given community — have made it relatively easy for buyers to access detailed information on homes for sale practically [...]

PROPERTY TAXES

How can I find out what my property tax bill will be?

Usually, the total amount of the previous year’s property taxes is included on the listing information sheet for the home you’re interested in. If not, ask to see the seller’s receipt.
Remember, tax rates change from year to year, so the previous year’s bill should be [...]

CHOOSING A COMMUNITY

BUYING TIP

If commuting time is important to you, take a “test drive” — get up extra early a few days and drive to work from the home you’re considering.
What should I think about when I’m deciding which community I want to live in?

Good city services, nice parks and playground facilities, convenient shopping and transportation, a [...]

RENTING VS. BUYING

How does buying compare to renting?

Renting offers a lifestyle that’s nearly maintenance-free. That may appeal to you, but consider that renting offers you no equity, no tax benefit, and most likely no protection against regular rent increases.
If your rent has averaged $700 a month for the last 10 years, you’ve spent $84,000 with nothing to show [...]

STARTING THE BUYING PROCESS

Where do I begin the process of looking for a home?

The first thing you should do is to begin focusing on what you’re looking for in a home. You can start by establishing priorities in the following three areas:
Location: Are you relocating to a new town because of a new job or to be closer [...]