Tips for 1st time buyers buying a home in Raleigh, Cary, Durham. Chapel Hill, & Triangle NC

As First Time Home Buyers it is important that you become educated about the home buying process BEFORE you begin looking at any homes. By educating yourself you will be able to avoid many of the pitfalls you may encounter throughout this detailed and complicated process. Not understanding how to avoid the pitfalls can be costly so FOR HomeBUYERS, Inc. is providing these “Tips” to help you avoid making costly mistakes as you maneuver through your home buying experience so that your experience might be positive from beginning to end.

Beginning to think about buying your 1st home?
The internet has made the home search much easier and fun. You can find out just about everything you would like to know about a particular home. But before you can narrow down your search, you must do 2 important things first:

• You must find out “how much home you can afford” then
• Select an agent to show you the homes that meet the criteria you have set as your “must haves” vs. your “would love to haves.”

Following is a list of the Steps that will help you through to your new home and should help the process go smoothly.

“We were so pleased with our experience with FOR HomeBUYERS, Inc. Our Agent went above and beyond to make our first home purchase smooth and easy. Things can be nerve wracking for first time home buyers, but our Agent was there every step of the way. She made us feel as though we were her only clients. We would highly recommend FOR HomeBUYERS.” ~ CS

Steps in the Home Buying Process

• Talk to a Mortgage Lender – to learn how much home you can afford. It can be very disappointing to be looking at homes that are higher priced than your budget will allow.
  Talk to 2 or 3 lenders, choose someone locally and with a good reputation. Request a Good Faith Estimate from each of them so you can compare necessary fees and “junk” fees that individual lenders charge. Many of these fees are negotiable. Mortgage Interest rate is not everything, the fees can make the final closing costs vary greatly.
  Pre-qualifying vs. complete loan application. Many people like to complete the loan application process at this point because when you make an offer the only thing remaining to do is to get the home appraised and it makes your offer stronger when making an Offer to Purchase on the home you have chosen.

• Choosing the right Real Estate Agent – Making the right choice can mean the difference between having a wonderfully positive experience vs. a very stressful and less than positive experience.
  Do you know that all Buyers’ Agents are not the same? Most “Buyer’s” Agents work for Real Estate Companies that list homes for Sellers and therefore the agents work for both Buyers and Sellers. Many “buyer” agents work under one of the Mega Listing Brokers and are designated as “Buyer Agents” because they work with buyers who call in wanting to see the listings of the Mega Listing Broker. Even though they may work only with buyers they still may have incentives (a higher commission) to show their company’s listings and therefore be in conflict with your best interests.
  An Exclusive Buyers Agent works for an Exclusive Buyer Only Agency never works with sellers and does not list homes for sale. Therefore, you are receiving 100% representation and 100% loyalty with never a chance for a conflict of interest.
  Interview several agents – Feel comfortable that you can trust this person to keep your best interest in the forefront. Use our Interview Questionnaire to help with your interviews. When you have chosen your agent you are now ready to begin the process of viewing homes.

“The service provided by FOR HomeBUYERS is a godsend! I very much appreciate the honest representation during the home buying process. In an already complicated process, FOR HomeBUYERS takes such care in making this journey as stress free as possible. Wonderful people; wonderful business.” D.M.

To contact FOR HomeBUYERS call or text us at 919-219-9878, to learn more about Exclusive Buyer Representation or request a no obligation consultation on the home buying process and all the steps you must navigate through to a successful closing.

• Beginning your Home Search – First try to narrow down the location you wish to live. You should already know your price range, so you might begin searching homes in the price range and location on the internet. You may want to drive by some of the homes before asking your Real Estate Agent to show you the homes, as pictures can be deceiving. Be sure to look at several homes to make camparisons before making your final decision. If you fall in love with the first home you see, still view several others to be sure. Different areas may give you more home for your money, so you may want to broaden your location requirements. First time buyers are many times surprised and disappointed in the amount of house you can get for your money.
  As first time home buyers, don’t expect to find your ultimate “dream home.” Your first home may need to be a starter home. If you are picturing your “dream” home you may have a difficult time finding a home. Your Agent can be a great help in advising you on the realities of the current Real Estate Market and what you might find in your price range.

• Write the Offer to Purchase and go to Contract
• Make Loan Application
• Have the home inspected
• Get required repairs completed
• Schedule movers & utilities
• Order Home Owners or Hazard Insurance
• Review the HUD or Closing Statement for accuracy
• Get a Certified Check for the funds needed for closing
• Perform a final walk-through of the home for condition
• Go to Closing
• Move-in to your new Home!!!