Getting Started
Before you start looking for a home you should ask yourself a few questions:
Where do you want to live? Do you want to be close to schools, shopping or
work?
What kind of house would you like (need)? Are you looking for a particular
style? How many bedrooms and bathrooms do you want? Do you want a yard?
How much house can you afford? Have you consulted a Realtor or mortgage
lender to determine the size of the mortgage you would qualify for?
Here are a few tips to help you get organized:
Pull a credit report on yourself and make sure the information is
accurate. If you find any errors take steps to correct them immediately.
Browse through real estate advertisements in the newspaper.
This will give you a good feel for the types of homes that are on the market
and what they cost.
Visit open houses on the weekend. It doesn't cost anything to look, and
looking at a few different homes might give you ideas for things you'd like
in a house but haven't considered.
Start saving money - you'll need to have cash on hand for a down payment
and closing costs.
Don't incur any additional debt. Pay down your credit cards - and don't
apply for any new ones. Don't make any major purchases on credit - buy the
furniture or car later.
Included below are: Real Estate Tips, Selling
Your House Tips, Real Estate Agents and Home Owners Need to Know. You can make
selling a home much easier by following the tips below. Keep in mind that the
price that the home is selling for is also a factor.
Real Estate Tip #1: You will need to clean your home thoroughly (Including
carpets, appliances, etc.) or hire a cleaning service. *Remember, the
appliances may be opened for inspection if they are being sold with your home.
Real Estate Tip #2: Your home should have a pleasant fragrance. You can open
windows to let fresh air in.
Real Estate Tip #3: Get rid of clutter. Closets need to be neat. Put the foo-foo
decorative items away. Some home owners paint the walls white. Doing things like
this will help the possible buyer visualize how they may like the house to look
if they bought it.
Real Estate Tip #4: Clean up the yard. Trim the bushes and trees. Mow the law.
OR you can hire a landscaper to fix up your yard.
Real Estate Tip #5: Make repairs. Check for
anything that needs to be repaired. Dripping faucets, knicks in walls, squeaky
doors, loose door knobs, burned out light bulbs, etc. Check the outside of your
home as well for: window screen tears, crooked downspouts, etc.
Real Estate Tip #6: Make sure
your real estate agents knows your basic schedule. You don't want a
"house showing" when you are in the middle of a meal, or when you
are taking a shower. Telling your real estate agent basic meal schedules, and
appropriate times to show the home will help both of you.
Real Estate Tip #7: Right before the real estate
agent comes to show your house, turn on all lights in the home for better
viewing. Turn the television off, but you may like to keep on some soothing
music. Make sure your pets are secure. Do dishes. Take our trash.
Real Estate Tip #8: When the
real estate agent comes to show your home, don't tag along through the home
with them. You may sit outside on the porch or in the yard, or visit a
neighbor while they are in your home looking around.
Real Estate Tip #9: Going the extra mile helps to
seal the possible sale of your house. Why not have a "brochure" that
has actual pictures of each of the rooms in the home, and other details of the
house. The people who came to your home will be able to take this with them
and refer to it.
INFORMATION
CENTER
