Buying Your First House
If you are interested in buying a new home, the first step is to find your new pad! Here's how to find a great house.
1. Hire Help
To start the journey of researching and touring new houses, it is helpful to hire a real estate agent that will represent you as a buyer of a new home and will identify properties for you to consider within your budget, preferred location, and specs.
2. Choose a Location
To figure out where you want to settle or to learn more about your new area, it is always helpful to research neighborhoods and schools in the vicinity. From internet searches to local newspapers and magazines and even word of mouth, the information you learn will be invaluable for your move.
3. Plan Ahead
It's also a good idea to get prequalified for a mortgage before shopping for a home, so you can look at homes in your price range. In order to get prequalified you will need to find a lender and provide basic information regarding your debt, income and assets.
4. Schedule an Inspection
Once you find your dream home, you should make sure to coordinate a home inspection, which involves an evaluation of the home's condition by a trained expert. The inspector will take an in-depth look at the home and property you plan to buy to evaluate the physical condition, identify items that should be repaired or replaced and estimate the life of the home's major systems such as electrical, plumbing, heating, air conditioning.
5. Create a Budget
Once you buy your home and select a move date, it's time to create a budget for your move and to start saving funds to cover the costs. By identifying how much you can spend in advance, planning your move will be more organized, affordable and hassle-free.
Starter Tools for Your New Home
- Claw Hammer
- Set of screwdrivers (flat head and Phillips)
- 16-foot tape measure
- Utility knife
- Set of Allen wrenches (standard and metric)
- Set of pliers (slip joint, needle nose and wire cutters)
- 2-foot level
- Set of wrenches (standard and metric)
- Cordless drill/drivers with set of drill bits and screw bits
- Toolbox to hold it all
