Buying a home is one of the biggest decisions you may make in life. There are several things you should do to ensure you make the right and best investment. First of all you should get pre-qualified. This is where working with a Real Estate Professional can help take the stress out of buying a new home. A REALTOR® can help you go over your credit history and determine your buying power (how much home you can realistically afford) or recommend a local lender who can do a loan pre-qualification with you to let you know what price range you should be focusing on. You should never make any major purhcases, such as buying a new car, or move your finances around before buying a new home. A lender will need to see a history of liquid assets. The more debt you accumulate with a new car or credit cards, the less house you will qualify to purchase. After determining what you can afford, select a REALTOR® to work with you as a Buyer's Agent...it doesn't cost you anything for his/her expert services! A REALTOR® helps guide you through the process making sure you have the proper property disclosures, inspection reports, insurance policies and negotiations. Your REALTOR® will provide objective information on the community and each particular property you are interested in as well as an expert opinion on the resale value of a property. A REALTOR® will also have access to the local MLS (Multiple Listing Service) to better investigate which homes are available and what their comparables are. Negotiating a purchase price can be tedious as it should involve evaluating comparable sales, analyzing the property you are purchasing by looking at its condition and improvements, and using financing, terms, date of possession and repair contingencies as part of the negotiations. Working with a REALTOR® ensures you will not overlook a major factor in the decision process that could cost you in the long run. Buying a home can be a very emotional process, so it's a good idea to have a professional with you who can point out things your emotions may cause you to overlook. REALTORS® also must adhere to a strict code of ethics, so you can expect honest and ethical treatment in all transactions. If you are in the market for a new home or a first-time homebuyer, contact me at Heather@WatersideVillages.com or 252.599.6814 and I would love to go over my "Get Ready for HomeOwnership" brochure with you!