Tips for a First-Time
Home Buyer
Defining Search Parameters for a First-Time
Home Buyer
Almost 80% of all home searches today begin on the Internet. With just a few
clicks of the mouse, home buyers can search through hundreds of online
listings, view virtual tours, and sort through dozens of photographs and aerial
shots of neighborhoods and homes. You’ve probably defined your goals and have a
pretty good idea of the type of home and
neighborhood you want. By the time you reach your real estate agent’s
office, you are halfway to home ownership.
How Long Should It Take to Buy Your First
Home?
A motivated buyer will find a home within two weeks. Good real estate agents will listen to your wants and needs and arrange to show only those homes that fit your particular parameters.
How Many Homes Will a Home Buyer See?
Studies show that your memory dramatically improves after consumption of
carbs and slows upon consuming sugar. So, lay off the soft drinks and have a
hearty meal of carbs before venturing out to tour homes. The average number of
homes a buyer will see in one day is seven. Any more than that, and the
brain is on overload. Therefore, don’t expect to see 20 or 30 homes; although
it’s physically possible to do so, you probably will not remember specific
details about any of them.
The “Red Shoes” Experience for a Home Buyer
Women will relate to this. Say, you need a new pair of red shoes. You go to
the mall. At the first shoe store, you find a fabulous pair of red shoes. You
try them on. They fit perfectly. They are glamorous. Priced right, too. Do you
buy them? Of course not! You go to every other store in the mall trying on red
shoes until you are ready to drop from exhaustion. Then you return to the first
store and buy those red shoes. Do not shop for a home this way. When you find
the perfect home, buy it.
How a First-Time Home Buyer Can Rate
Inventory
? Bring a
digital camera and begin each series of photos with a close-up of the house
number to identify where each group of home photos start and end.
? Take
copious notes of unusual features, colors and design elements.
? Pay
attention to the home’s surroundings. What is next door? Do 2-story homes tower
over your single story?
? Do you like
the location? Is it near a park or a power plant?
? Immediately
after leaving, rate each home on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the highest.
View Top Choices a Second Time Before Buying
That First Home
After touring homes for a few days, you will probably instinctively know
which one or two homes you would like to buy. Ask to see them again. You will
see them with different eyes and notice elements that were overlooked the first
go-around.
At this point, your agent should call the listing agents to find out more
about the sellers’ motivation and to double-check that an offer hasn’t come in,
making sure these homes are still available to purchase.
Making the Selection To Buy a Home
Real estate agents are required, however, to point out defects and should
help buyers feel confident that the home selected meets the buyer’s search
parameters.
