4 Steps to Take Before Buying a Home

I’ve been asked by a few homebuyers lately about the spring market. I looked last week to see how many units were listed and sold. There were 51 properties listed and 44 went under contract. That doesn’t leave a lot of inventory for homebuyers, which means you’ll need to be properly prepared to win in this market. Here are four steps you need to take:

1. Get yourself pre-approved. Don’t wait until after you’ve already found a home. A good lender will let you know what you can afford, and a good local lender will work in harmony with your agent to get things done properly. If you need a recommendation for a good local lender, ask your Realtor.

2. Do a drive-by of the property. You can find four or five homes that you like, but you might not like all four or five neighborhoods. A drive-by will help you identify this as well as the lot size and nearby amenities. It also gives you a better idea of how far of a commute it will be to work or school.

3. Have your Realtor book an appointment and send the MLS sheet to your lender. They can work out taxes, costs, and compare homes by cost. In a fast-moving market like this, you might find a home on Monday that will be gone by Saturday. This means you need to move fast as well.

4. Don’t be afraid to book off-hour showings. Lunchtime, nighttime, and morning hours are all fair game to see a home in a fast-paced market like this.

If you have any questions for me about buying a home or real estate in general, don’t hesitate to reach out via phone or email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.