Our team of highly trained agents have 27 years experience to help you find your dream home.   Whether you are trading up or down, our team will exceed your real estate needs.  Excellence, redefined.

Real Estate 101 For the first time home owner.

1/ Don't buy if you can't stay put:

If you can't stay in one place foe a few years, buying may not be the best option.  One of the benefits of purchasing a home is realizing equity when you sell- and this takes time.  If you are going to buy short term, make sure you weigh in the cost of selling and marketing your home.

 2/ Work on your credit:

If you need a mortgage, your credit will be scrutinized these days, so make sure your credit history is as clean as can be.  A good lender will help give you pointers to clean it up and can direct you to services who specialize in this.  Check your credit, make sure it is accurate, and clean it up.

3/ Aim for a home you can afford:

A rule of thumb is aim for a home two-and-a-half times your annual salary.  There are many onlie mortgage calculators that can help you find this amount by inputting your actual income, debt, and expenses.  A good lender can also work this out for you- with only the cost of a credit report.

4/You may still qualify for a loan even if you can't put down 20%:

There are many FHA loans and others that only require 3 1/2 %, as well as some first time home owners loans and grants.  Ask your Realtor and they can direct you to a good lender who can help.

5/ Get Professional Help:

Even though the internet is an unprecedented tool for home buyers, giving you access to thousands of homes, a good Realtor is the best help you can have.  Remember they help buyers and sellers all day long, some for years and their expertise in invaluable to you.  Interview them and make sure this is their full-time job and check testimonials.  Their services are usually free to buyers as they are paid by the seller at closing.

6/ Choose carefully between points and rate:

When picking a mortgage, you may have the option of paying additional interest points in advance to lower your interest rate.  This will lower your monthly payment.  A good lender can help you calculate if this is a good option for you.  If you are plannig on staying in the home for several years, this may save you thousands of dollars.  Also consider pros and cons of a bi-weekly mortgage

7/Get pre approved before house-hunting:

You will need the pre approval letter to submit an offer anyways, and this will save you frustration of looking at homes you can't afford.

 8/ Have your Realtor run the comps before submitting an offer:

They have the expertise to do a good comparative market analysis for you so you don't over-pay.

 

Call me--Your Real Estate Expert - I have 26 years experience and will help find the right house for the best price possible

WORRY FREE AND SEAMLESS HOME BUYING PROCESS

POWERFUL negotiation skills

Search specific Palm Coast neighborhoods

Trusted Resources for answers about the process

Innovative marketing strategies

Expertise about neighborhood features

Ability to target home searches

Support through the closing and beyond

 

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