Saturday, August 30, 2014

Some Common Home-Buying Mistakes

By Pammy McGrath


Even though a home purchase is a huge investment, people still tend to some mistakes when they buy their home. Even a person who has purchased several homes can make a few of the more typical home buying mistakes. Many of these mistakes can be avoided quite easily, however, and here's how to get the most out of your home purchase.

People often begin looking without really sitting down and thinking about the budget. First, contact a lender and get pre-approved for a loan. This costs a small fee, but it really helps you figure out exactly how much you can spend. Keep in mind that you don't have to spend as much as the lender is willing to lend to you. You absolutely can spend less money, and you should if you anticipate feeling overwhelmed by your monthly mortgage and home costs. When budgeting, don't forget to add in homeowner's association fees, insurance and property taxes, which definitely affect your bottom line.

Never let your emotions rule your home search. So often you enter a home that really does not appeal to your sensibilities. It could be the dcor that hasn't been changed since the 1980s or it could be that the homeowner has painted every wall of the house a different shade of pink. You might hate the dcor, but if the home is in great condition and has all of the rooms and room sizes you need, you need to remember that many decorative features can be changed easily. You also should never fall so in love with the look of a home that you become blind to its faults. Sometimes it looks just the way you want, but if it is lacking that much-needed fourth bedroom or has a tiny kitchen with no storage, how can you fix that?

Once you find a house you really love, don't jump in until you really consider the location. A home on a busy street or across from a school or church might end up being too disruptive to your life. A home too far from shops, stores and restaurants also might end up being irksome. If it's a long drive to work, you might easily become sick of that long commute. If the schools aren't great, this could end up being a problem as well and even if you don't have kids, goods schools equal higher property values. Drive around the neighborhood, glance at the homes and yards of other neighbors. Visit in the early morning, in the afternoon and at night to judge the noise level.

While it is increasingly easy to find homes you like online and even to do some research on neighborhood comps, trying to get through the buying process without a realtor is not a good idea. A real estate agent has a great deal of experience in buying and selling homes and when you are the buyer, you need an advocate looking out for you. Your realtor not only will act as your advocate, they also can help you through the maze of inspections and escrow.

If you want to get started on your Texas Hill Country real estate search, contact Nixon Real Estate. For more than 30 years, they have been finding fabulous homes for their clients. So whether you are looking for Fredericksburg real estate, Kerrville real estate, San Antonio real estate or in another Hill Country area, they can help you through every step of the home-buying process.




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