Monday, 2 January 2012

Buying A Home Is A Large Investment

By Robert Velasquez


For the average person, the money invested in buying a home will be the largest investment they will ever make. It is considered to be a large financial transaction. The stakes here are much higher than other purchases so there are a number of things you should do before you sign on the dotted line.

Real estate agents are making a living like everyone else. The money they make depends on the sales they make. Learn their language and do never get yourself talked into a multilevel home when you wanted a ranch. There are also now three major credit reporting bureaus that you have access to in during any given year. Check them all out and examine every account listed for errors. If anything is amiss, report it and have it changed.

Lenders run a business and they also need to make money on the amounts they lend. Tell them you wish to buy a home and they will typically do a income versus credit ratio. Simply put, that is how they determine the percentage of your income that you owe in debt. Exceeding 20% can cause problems, so if your ratio is high, get it paid down.

Have money saved for the buying process. This is over and above down payment funds. Unexpected fees will always come up during a purchase. After these steps are taken, ask your lender for approval. They will scrutinize your debt, want proof of employment income, and examine your payment history. If all is in order, they will approve you and give you a figure to go by in your house hunting.

Sometime finding that just right house takes time. Location, schools, and work commuting will all figure in. Do not under any circumstances increase your debt load during this time period. Your odds of owning your own place could be quickly destroyed.

When you are shown a residence, you are told the asking price. Most sellers will set prices higher than what they will accept so always be willing to negotiate. Make an offer and see if the seller agrees or counters with another price. The housing market is bursting with homes and many people are eager to sell. You may get your home at a price well below what the seller was asking.

Once the price has been settled on, let deal rest on the results of a home inspection. It may cost a bit to have one done but it could possibly save you a substantial amount of cash if there are costly problems with the home. If a problem is found, you can renegotiate with the seller. You can give them a couple of options. They can fix the problem themselves, or lower the asking price to cover the cost of the repairs.




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