Archive for May, 2008

6 STEPS in Buying Your Dream Home (6 of 6)

Friday, May 30th, 2008

Step 6. Get home loan pre-approval.

In a purchase contract, mortgage approval s are usually the longest contingency to satisfy. It would be advantageous for you if you could acquire a pre-approval letter the moment you are ready to begin searching.

The lenders’ decision will be based on your complete loan application, employment verification and you credit reports.

When this happens, you can save time by focusing on the homes you can afford to buy in reality and sellers will be most likely accept your offer immediately (even for a lower price). This is because the seller will feel somewhat assured that the property is sold, thus saving her time and effort.

6 STEPS in Buying Your Dream Home (5 of 6)

Saturday, May 24th, 2008

Step 5. Employ a “REAL” real estate agent.

Yes, you’ve researched on the web, consulted other people made a wishlist and all. But that doesn’t mean you can go on all by yourself and get a house like buying groceries.
You can be “a know it all” with the information you acquired, but the truth is it is still not enough. There are a lot of deals with underlying pitfalls, there are many swindlers and scammers in this industry. On top of that, estate-hunting can be time consuming as well as frustrating.

Leave the dirty work to a real estate agent. Not only he possesses the knowledge about estate deals, he also has the skills and experience to back him up.

The professional fee you will pay him will save you the time, fatigue and the frustration.
Try asking friends or your family if they know a local agent whom they were happy with or visit the website of known companies to hire one.

To be continued…

6 STEPS in Buying Your Dream Home (3 of 6)

Thursday, May 22nd, 2008

Step 3. Research, and research a little more

Do some more research, seek advice from people you know (those who have made estate transactions already) whether they were successful or not, you are sure to learn a thing or two from them.

There’s no better place to do research on than the internet. The world wide web is home to thousands of information and self help sites that would help give you a better grasp of the deal you are planning to make.

These sites are usually free and rarely require registration so it shouldn’t be much of a hassle.

You can also join interactive forums to gain more knowledge about home-buying.

To be continued…

6 STEPS in Buying Your Dream Home (2 of 6)

Monday, May 19th, 2008

Step 2. Learn about mortgages.

When you have reviewed your credit and financial status, you should now be aware how much your purchasing power is.
It is now time to researching about the different kinds of mortgages. Every type of mortgage has its own advantage and disadvantage.

There are many factors that are involved in finding the right type of mortgage for you. This includes how much you can afford, how long you plan to keep the house and other concerns that may arise in the future.

But this decision making can be simplified if:

You know what you want.
You know what you have.

Choose one that you think is most advantageous to you.

To be continued…

6 STEPS in Buying Your Dream Home (1 of 6)

Wednesday, May 14th, 2008


Step 1.
Review your financial and Credit status.

First of all, before you begin the home buying process, you have to review your credits and finances. Mortgage lenders are strict about their clients’ financial credibility

Request a copy of your credit report from your credit agency. Check your credit report meticulously for errors, if ever you find one contact your credit agency right away and see what you can do to correct it. The process takes time so it is advisable to report it as soon as you see it.

Review your finances so that you can determine how much of a home you can afford.
There are mortgage calculators available online so you can have an idea about the monthly payments which are of course based in the total price.

To be continued…

6 STEPS in Buying Your Dream Home (4 of 6)

Sunday, May 11th, 2008

Step 4. List down what you want and need

Once you are finished researching, you probably now have a better understanding in real estate deals especially on the financial aspect. You should also have acquired knowledge about possibilities and how you can make the most out of your money.

Practicality-wise, your decision may be much influenced by how big your purchasing power is. But don’t forget the most important thing in buying a home, don’t forget that it is about you: What you want and what you need.

You can create home “wish list. Jot down everything you want your dream home to have. How big you want it to be, the materials used, features accessibility and safety. By doing this your new house will easily turn into your new home.
To be continued…

Why do you need an ESTATE AGENT?

Thursday, May 1st, 2008

One of the biggest and the most expensive investment in your life would be the purchase of your dream home. And one of the biggest deals would be the selling of one.

These are the things you can’t afford to go wrong. These things can either the make or break your plans.

It is very important to make every decision a right one. To make this possible you will need the expertise of an estate agent.

Hiring an estate agent may cost you some dollars, but you will be most likely on the winning side because a real estate agent’s job is to provide you with the best deal you can get..
When it comes to property selling or buying, there is very little to lose and plenty to gain when you seek professional help from an estate agent.