Buyer tools

Purchasing a home-whether it be your first or fifth-need not be a stressful experience. With the right amount of foresight and planning, the process can be smooth, hassle free and even enjoyable. Consider these tips when you start your home search:

How much can I spend?

First and foremost, you need to ascertain what you have available to spend. Cash, as they say, is king, but many people don't have the ability to make such a large purchase without the assistance of financing.  Obtaining a pre-approval is an important first step in the home buying process. If you are unsure as to where to start looking for a lender, just let me know; I would be happy to provide you with a recommendation for a mortgage representative.

What am I looking for?

After getting your financing nailed down, it's time to figure out just what your home needs are. Many people want to be closer (or farther) from parents or relatives, eliminate a long commute to work or live on a lake or bigger piece of land. Determine where you want to live, then make a list of the features you need. Finished basement? Three car garage? I can enter virtually any type of criteria you can think of to pare down the list of results. Be cognizant of searching for too many features at once; your perfect home may need to have A, B and C, but you would be surprised how attractive a home that is missing one of those things can be if it has a few other amenities to compensate.

Once you have your price range established by a pre-approval and have determined what you are looking for, give me a call and I can start a search for you in our multiple listing system. You can also search online for homes independently; the following search engines have comprehensive search functions and are tied directly to our MLS, ensuing that every home that meets your criteria will be visible to you:

http://www.MoveInMichigan.com   The public face of our multiple listing system.

http://www.Realtor.com   National real estate listings.

Ready to take a look?

Once you have some properties set aside that you would like to take a look at, drop me a line and we can schedule a time to go and see them. It's important not to get discouraged if some of the homes you like end up being sold or not quite you envisioned them to be; the right home is out there for you believe me, but it may take a little process of elimination.

Remember, I'm here to help

As your buyer representative, it's my job to make sure you find the right house for you and assist as best I can throughout the process. If at any point you have questions or concerns I would be more than happy to address them. Your complete satisfaction is my goal, and I look forward to a happy, productive experience with you, both now and in the future.