Many potential first-time home
buyers are understandably overwhelmed by soaring home prices, lack of
inventory, rising interest rates and are feeling deflated. They losing
hope that homeownership is not in their future. I'm not here to
sugarcoat the fact that it can be very challenging in 2024 to purchase
your first home, condo or townhome. The reality is you have to live
somewhere, so as long as you qualify for a home loan, why would you want
to keep helping your landlord pay his mortgage while building wealth at
your expense? There are several loan options that
only require
a 3% down payment or $0 down for Veterans using a
VA Loan benefit! I can also show you to to access to
down payment
assistance programs - including some that that only require $500 or
$1000 down. There's also a
First‐time Homebuyer
Savings Account
The information below will help you gain knowledge about the
home buying process and will hopefully give you the courage to keep that
dream alive. The first bit of advice I will give you is to hire a
buyer's agent who will look out for your best
interests and make sure you are not making mistakes than can cost you
several thousands of dollars. This is the biggest financial decision
you will ever make, so it's essential that you work with a professional,
trustworthy Realtor who's there for you every step of the way.
Steps for
First-time homebuyers
Preliminary Footwork
Author and real estate
broker Jim Stacey claims that there are three stages for the
first-time home buyer: contemplation, comparison, and commitment.
He urges prospective buyers to get through the first stage on their own,
with the help of friends and family members. The road between
contemplation and being ready to commit to buying a house is arduous and
emotional, and Stacey has learned that the best use of a broker's time and
skills is to enter the fray after buyers have done some preliminary
footwork.
STEP 1.
Figuring Out What You Want
No matter how well you can picture your dream house and
communicate your idea to me, the house you finally fall in love with may
have little resemblance to the image you started out with. But you
have to begin somewhere, and a detailed wish list is a great head start.
Let's say your wish list looks like this, in order of priority:
-
Two bedrooms, two baths
-
Safe, quiet neighborhood
-
Garden
-
Ability to add on
-
No major repairs needed
-
Near close friends or
family members
-
Close to downtown
-
Craftsman-style detached
home
-
Lots of natural daylight
-
Parking
-
Good investment with
excellent resale potential
-
Affordable property
taxes
-
Enclosed laundry area
-
Walk-in closet in master
bedroom
-
Storage space for
lawn/garden and sports equipment
-
Gas hookup for stove
-
Back deck or patio
-
Close to work, schools,
church, shopping
-
Finished basement for
office or guest room
-
No threat of commercial
encroachment
-
Hardwood floors
-
French doors leading to
backyard
-
Close to public
transportation
Now, how would the list change
if you had to settle for only 10 of your wishes in your price range?
If you had to narrow it to five, would your top priorities be different?
When you start looking at houses, this information will be invaluable to a
Realtor as he or she matches your requirements to available houses.
STEP
2.
What Can You Afford?
Every market is different, but the first step to answering this
question is finding out what you can pay on a monthly basis after you've
made your down payment...3%, 5%, 10%, or 20% of the purchase price of
the house.
Speak to a mortgage
loan officer. The best way to learn what you can afford is to get
pre-qualified for a loan. I have excellent resources to local
Home lenders
who will ensure that you get the best loan rates and terms. Pre-qualifying won't cost you anything and you'll walk away with a good
idea of how your income, assets, and liabilities translate into what you
can afford, and it can also help your chances of beating out the
competition in a sellers market (where there are more buyers than houses
on the market).
Preferred Local Mortgage Lenders
Union Home Mortgage - Tiffany
Swisher @ 303.884.4137
Home
Mortgage Advisors - Deana
Hollstein @ 303.818.0522
Nexa
Mortgage - Lainie
Chambers @ 720.495.2788
STEP 3.
Starting the House Hunt
Now that you have an idea of what you can afford, you can focus
on whether you're in the market for a condominium, loft, townhouse,
single-family detached home. Contact
me so I
can help educate you about what to look for and avoid, provide reliable
references for other experts you'll need along the line - such as lenders
and inspectors - and represent you in negotiations and at closing.
Now you're ready for the fun
stuff: pounding the pavement. Go to as many open houses as you can
stand, even at times when I'm not available, and then go to another -
(just be sure to let the agent or builder know we are working
together). In the neighborhoods you're considering, include some homes you know you can't
afford and some priced below your means. Think of it as leveling out
your learning curve.
Talk to friends and family
about their buying experiences. People are often surprisingly open
about what they've learned about financing, construction - and even
themselves - in the course of buying their first house. If there are
times when you just can't bear to see another overpriced house with
kelly-green shag carpet, take a day off - and remind yourself that someday
you'll know it was all worthwhile
As your REALTOR, I'm here to make sure:
1. you fully understand what it takes to purchase a home
2. you work with reputable mortgage lenders who won't take
advantage of you
3. you are utilizing every available first-time buyer
resource available
4. write an purchase offer that protects you before & after
the sale
5. that all of your questions are answered in a timely &
professional manner
6. you don't get overwhelmed with the process - I'm here for
you!
Buyer
Resources
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Protection
What
is a Buyer's Agent?
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