Legacy Realty, Inc.

Buying a home can be a little daunting, especially for first-time home buyers. Here are some pointers for those entering this arena for the first time.

If you're seeking a first home in the same general area where you now rent, you may be inclined to do all your shopping on weekends. But weekends are when competition heats up for the best properties.

By taking some weekday time to view homes could be the early bird who puts in a successful offer on a home-even before a weekend "open house" is held open to the public. If the economy is robust, you may need the competitive edge that a weekday search could give you relative to rival purchasers.

Be ready to jump immediately when you find the right home.

By now, most homebuyers are aware that they should get with a mortgage lender and qualify for a home loan before they go house hunting.  But only 20 percent of would-be buyers take that first step and fewer take the time to get a letter of "pre-approval" from the lender. There's no substitute for asking a lender for a letter indicating exactly how much you can borrow.

You can avoid the disappointment of selecting a property beyond your reach by asking a mortgage lender for a "pre-approval letter" before you become emotionally entangeled with a property. Such a letter could also give you a competitive advantage if you're facing other rivals for the same home. It makes a good impression on the seller to have one of those letters from the lender. Currently, it's a seller's market and some sellers are having to deal with multiple offers. So be prepared and ready to make your best offer!

Get that home inspection!

Home inspections are very important regardeless if it's a resale or new construction, you should know what and if the home has any issues that should be addresssed. Your Realtor can be very helpful in assisting you with selecting a good home inspector that will do a very thorough inspection.

Don't let expected interest rate fluctuations drive your purchase!

The American economy produced some very low mortgage rates in tha last several year. Some economists believe rates will rise while others think they'll fall. No matter who you believe, it's unwise to let the expectation of minor interest rate changes drive your home selection. Even with a little increase in rates shouldn't cost you your dream home.