HOW CAN I KEEP TRACK OF ALL THE HOMES I SEE?
If possible, take photographs of each house (ask permission first): the outside, the major rooms, the yard, and extra features that you like or ones you see as potential problems. And don't hesitate to return for a second look. Use our Home Comparison Worksheet to organize your notes for each house.
HOW MANY HOMES SHOULD I CONSIDER BEFORE CHOOSING ONE?
There isn't a set number of houses you should see before you decide. Visit as many as it takes to find the one you want. On average, homebuyers see 15 houses before choosing one. Just be sure to communicate often with your real estate agent about everything you're looking for. It will help avoid wasting your time.
HOW MUCH CAN I AFFORD?
Before you start shopping for a home, you need to know what kind of home to shop for. To determine that, of course, you've got to figure out how much you can afford to pay each month.
Fortunately, there's a pretty simple formula for coming up with this number. It's the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) formula that many mortgage lenders use. The FHA has found that most people can afford to budget 29% of their gross monthly income to housing expenses, depending on total debt. Buyers with no debt can budget as much as 41% of monthly income to housing.
NOW WHAT?
Once you have figured out what kind of home are looking for, and how much you can afford, the next thing to do is to search for the best house for you, at the best possible price. Although this is the toughest part of the whole home buying process, doing your homework certainly does help. There are two ways of doing this -- searching on your own or by hiring a real estate agent and letting them do the hard work for you. Most people use a broker to help them find a home.
In case you are looking to do it yourself, here are a few tips that may help you.
Research, Research and Research!
Today, the easiest way to do this is the internet. The best way to find what you should expect for money is to visit real estate sites and see what is available in your price range. Make a list of all the houses that meet most of your (written down) requirements.
Searching Tip
Searching for real estate over the internet is so much easier than browsing a newspaper because you can key in your personal search criteria and don’t have to be bothered with the vast number of listings that aren’t for you. Internet real estate sites offer customized search options that allow you to zero in on your key requirements.
Local newspapers would be a better bet in case you are looking to buy a house in the same locality. Sunday newspapers generally have a number of good listings, including open house listings.
Make appointments to look at the houses
The more homes you see, the more comfortable you will feel when you find your dream home!
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