Checklist For First Time Home Buyers
You’re finally looking to buy your first home and you’re as giddy as could be. It’s time to tour homes and fall in love with about half a dozen of them. But, of course, with any big purchase comes planning and execution. With such a large purchase, you may be wondering where do you start, how do you know if you’re prepared, and in what order should you be doing all of this. Lucky for you, we’ve put a list together to help you understand what to expect as you make your way from house-hunt to moving day. Determine what you can afford Are your finances in order? This is essential to know what you can afford. We know, we know, that big beauty of a home with upgrades galore may be your dream home, but if you can’t afford it, you’ll be working like a dog to pay for it and won’t have time to enjoy it. To determine what’s in your budget, consider the following: What is your monthly income?What monthly payments do you have (auto, insurance, mortgage)?Do you pay your bills on time? Do you have any errors on your credit report?How much money will you need at closing? While this point will change depending on the final offer, you want to ensure you have enough put away just in case.Get pre-approved Shopping for a home may be exciting and fun, but if you’re a serious homebuyer, you need to start the process in a lender’s office, not at an open house. You will benefit in several ways by consulting with a lender and obtaining a pre-approval letter. First, you will have an opportunity to discuss loan options and budgeting with the lender. Second, the lender will check your credit and unearth any problems. You will also learn the maximum amount that you can borrow, which will help set the price range. Keep in mind that you should be careful to estimate your comfort level with a given house payment rather than immediately aim for the top of your spending limit. Lastly, most sellers expect buyers to have a pre-approval letter and will be more willing to negotiate with those who prove that they can obtain financing. Search for a home Now that you’re pre-approved and have a better idea of what you can afford and still live comfortably, it’s time to search for your future home (exciting!). Before you hit the roads, try searching online on Zillow or Realtor to get an idea of what you’re looking for. Key factors include, bedroom and bathroom count, square footage, neighborhood preference, distance to work, school, etc. Even knowing the style of home you like will help narrow down your search so you don’t tire yourself out going in and out of homes. Create a checklist of what you NEED in a home and what you WANT. This will help weed out the homes that don’t fall under your criteria. If this search isn’t getting your far, drive through neighborhoods you like, ask friends who have purchased a home for tips, or ask your agent (if you already have one). Find a realtor Assuming you don’t already have a real estate agent, now is the time to get one. Choosing the right agent is so important when purchasing or selling your home whether you’re a first-timer or have done this before. Take your time in finding one. Interview as many as you’d like, check out their reviews, set your expectations and make sure their values align with what you need or just give your local Musser Team a call 😉 Visit open houses and tour homes With your real estate agent and home checklist in tow, now it’s time to look at those homes you found online, in person. Visiting homes in person can help you identify the features that are most important to you. While walking through, check off what these homes hit on your checklist. At the end of your home search when you sit down to discuss the home of your choice, you will be able to go back and compare. Submit an offer You have visited a number of homes, and you’re ready to call a house your home. While we know you may have fallen in love with a few of them, it’s time to make an offer on ONE that has crossed it’s T’s and dotted it’s I’s on your checklist. Your prepared offer that your agent will assist you with will include, established contingencies, obtained disclosures, and an established closing time. Be prepared that the seller could say no or negotiate. Get a home inspection Once you have an offer in, and before you close on the sale, it’s time to get a home inspection. We can’t stress this enough, get a home inspection. A thorough home inspection will help you identify any issues with the home and determine whether there are repairs that need to be addressed prior to close. Get an appraisal As you get closer to the close of the sale, you’ll have to get an appraisal. An appraisal is an estimate as to the value of the home and is required by lenders before issuing a mortgage. Renegotiate Say that issues arise during the home inspection making your home buying adventure to a halt. Any home can have issues, some smaller or larger than others. If an issue with a house will stop you from buying it at the price you offered to the seller, you may renegotiate. This renegotiated price will account for any repairs that need to be made. If the seller doesn’t want to budge, you may ask for them to pay for them. Please be aware that if this isn’t a possibility for the seller, you may need to walk away from this sale. Close the sale You’ve made it. After the tears, sweat, and blood… okay, maybe just some tears and sweat, it’s time to seal the deal. All parties will come together to sign the papers and transfer the property over to its new homeowners, YOU! Although the road of buying a home may seem daunting, you’re not alone. We are here to help and make sure this process goes as smoothly as possible.
Get Your Home Ready For Summer
Summer is coming and you know what that means? Long days spent by the pool, ice pops to stay cool, and house and yard work. Definitely not as fun as the pool and tasty ice pops, but definitely just as important if you want to enjoy your summer without any house hiccups. We’ve compiled a list of the most important chores to prep your house for warm weather – and save you time and money in the long run. 1. Service Your Air Conditioner You definitely don’t want something to go awry in the peak of the hot weather and definitely not when it’s related to your beloved air conditioner. Now is the best time to check out your air conditioning system to ensure it’ll keep you cool in the months ahead. Checking and changing the system’s filter before running it all summer long can help avoid any potential of it to stop working during the summer. A clean filter will keep fresh, cool air all summer long. After changing the filter, turn on the unit and see how it’s running. With the changing seasons, your AC system probably hasn’t been turned on in months. Just like a car, you need to make sure it will turn on without a hitch. 2. Clean Windows and Screens Snow, rain, sleet, hail, and any other winter weather can make your windows dirty and even ruin your window screens. Take the time to clean up your windows and replace any window screens that may have been ruined. To make those window panes sparkle, fill a spray bottle with window cleaning solution and use a newspaper or a squeegee to leave them streak-free. While you’re cleaning, evaluate how your windows have fared through the winter. Look for signs of dry rot and water damage from melting snow and ice. Check the seals around windows as well, and re-caulk or replace damaged weather stripping where needed. This will go a long way toward keeping the hot air out and the cool air in as the weather gets warmer. Finally, clean your window screens, inspect them, repair any damage, and reinstall them in your windows. Use a hose and mild detergent, but don’t pressure wash them. You can repair damaged screens with a kit you can purchase at most home improvement or hardware stores. 3. Inspect Outdoor Plumbing Continue your house chores outdoors with the inspection of outdoor spigots. We’re sure you’ll be using the hose quite a bit this summer and it’s important to know beforehand if you have a problem with your pipes or not. 4. Get Summer Tools Ready When we think of summer, we think of beautiful, green mowed lawns. That smell of freshly cut grass is the smell of summer. With that being said, make sure your equipment is ready to bring on the smell of summer. For gas mowers and edgers, clean the equipment and change the gas if you forgot to empty it at the end of the lawn care season. If your mower and edger are electric, inspect the cords for frays or cuts, and turn them on to be sure the equipment works. 5. Inspect Your Roof and Home’s Exterior No matter where you may live, winter weather has different levels of harshness, something your roof may not be ready for. A quick look at your roof and home’s exterior could reveal minor problems that have begun over the winter, which you can have repaired before they become major issues. Check for misaligned, cracked, or missing shingles, all of which can let water seep in. Also, check flashing for rust, and inspect the caulk around pipes or skylights to be sure it hasn’t cracked. After you’ve finished inspecting the roof, examine the rest of your home’s exterior. Consider pressure washing your home if it needs it. Then check the exterior paint for chipping. Scrape and touch up any places that have exposed wood, to prevent rot. 6. Clean Gutters and Downspouts While you’re assessing the outside of your home, check on your gutters and downspouts. Winter can be tough on them, and damage can lead to leaks that let water in your basement or crawl space or cause wood rot around the gutters. To clean them out yourself, scoop the gunk out of the gutters. Once you’ve gotten as much out as you can, hose out the gutters and let the water run out through the downspout. Use the hose to force out clogs. Be sure water from the downspouts flows away from your house to keep it from collecting around the foundation. As dirty as this job can be, it’s one that can save a lot of headaches and bigger problems down the road. With all of the yard work done, it’s time to chill out and enjoy it. Pop open the grill, throw some burgers on it, and enjoy the beautiful summer weather!
Home Updates For Less Than $1,000 To “Wow” Buyers
You want to get top dollar for your house, right? But, you don’t want to dump a ton of money into it just to sell it. It’s a classic dilemma. Lucky for you, simple updates can go a long way toward making your home both more enjoyable for you without breaking the bank and more appealing to potential buyers as well. For $1,000 or less, each of the following projects will help breathe new life into your home. Got time for a weekend project? We’ve got options for that. Have time for one that will go over multiple weekends? We’ve got that too. Your job: get your house updated. Our job: get your house sold for top dollar. While most of these mini-makeovers might require a bit of your time and a lot of your elbow grease, they don’t require a ton of your money. And the results you’ll get will be appealing to buyers once you put out that for sale sign.
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