Calling All First Time Home-Buyers
Image Credit: David Silva
If you are looking to purchase your first house…here are some helpful tips for First Time Home Buyers:
1 – Figure out how much you can afford
When you’re ready to become a homeowner, you need to determine how much you can afford: both for the house and for your yearly California home insurance policy. Start by getting pre-qualified for a loan.
2 – Find out what’s available
Figure out where you want to live and what types of housing is available in that area— single family, condos, town homes, etc. Look on line and in ads and make sure and drive around the communities you are interested in before you call a real estate agent.
3 – Choose a neighborhood
When you have determined what is available, and then begin looking at specific neighborhoods. Cruise by at different times of the day and night to get a “read” on the neighborhoods, and whether you will feel safe there. If you have children, check out the quality of the schools in the area. Determine if you will be conveniently located to shopping, work and schools. You may want to check out the types of large-scale facilities (airports, highways, chemical plants, etc.) are nearby, as well. You can do a lot of this independently, but make sure you ask your agent to help you find sources of information about these things.
4 – Know what you want
Narrow down the features you want in a house; the things you can’t live without. Do you want an energy-efficient model; one/two stories; 2 or more bathrooms; a pool/no pool; a large back yard, etc? You may not find a home with every feature that you want, but it’s good to know what will be a deal breaker for you. First time buyers may need some assistance evaluating the area to purchase a home.
When you find the house that has the things that are most important to you, and it’s in the right neighborhood and it’s affordable, then you’re ready to buy. Our favorite Old Towne Orange Realty Agent is Al Ricci! Call Al today at Ricci Realty with any questions about purchasing a home in the Orange County area at 714) 231-6058
5 – Do a home inspection.
HUD recommends that you have a home inspection before you make an offer on the house. As the buyer, you pay for the cost of the inspection. If you’re not satisfied with the results, you can ask the seller to pay for certain repairs or to lower the price or you can decide to walk away from the deal.
Give Remland Insurance a call today for an estimate of your California home insurance cost on your new property before purchase. Depending on location and risk, it is important to be aware of the monthly cost to insure your new home. Our office staff would be happy to help you with any questions – Call 714) 532-3341 today!
Written by: Rhonda Remland
