Steps To Buy A House

How To Buy A House

1.        Decide to better yourself!  Stop making someone else rich.  Renting is a waste of your money and just makes someone else rich.  Invest in your own future by building equity in your own home. 

2.        Get pre-approved for a loan.  Find out how much house you can afford.  Talk to a loan officer who can educate and advise you on choices. 

3.        Choose your price range.  Houses are available in all price ranges and you do not have to borrow the entire amount for which you qualify.

4.        Decide the area that best suits you and your family.  Think about schools, tax rate, convenience to work, subdivision or rural, amount of land, and the area in which you would like to live. 

5.        Find a professional Realtor, one with your best interest at heart.  Many Realtors just see you as a $.  Some may be so busy they may not have time to spend helping you look.  Others just want you to buy and may try to pressure you into a decision.  Be careful when choosing!

6.        Start searching for the house you were meant to have.  Drive around or look on the internet. www.marystarkey.com, my website, is a great place to look for homes in the Dayton area.   I can also help you by giving you listings in your price range and setting up tours to see the property. Remember, don’t call the number on the sign, they represent the seller.

7.        Decide on the best house choice for you.  Also decide on the price you want to pay for it.  I can help you here by doing some research to find the selling price for similar houses in the area.

8.        Make an offer.  It’s a buyer’s market so even if you find a house that’s more than you think you can afford, make a lower offer.  I can supply you with information that will help you decide.  It’s a buyer’s market and you currently have the power.

9.        Negotiate until you reach a price.  Negotiating is an art and a Realtor experienced with people, such as myself, knows how to deal with different personality types and will be able to get the best price for you.

10.  Close the deal!  After getting the house inspected and either repairs made or price renegotiated, the actually loan application is made which will involve checking your credit and verifying your income.  Your loan officer and I work very hard so that you will be able to take possession of the house in about one month after a smooth closing.