Wednesday, September 11, 2013

Buying Real Estate For Very Busy People

By John Brien


Although the housing market has crashed, some insist that real estate is still a good investment. Whether you're purchasing a home to live in or are simply trying to flip real estate for a profit, you should read these real estate-buying tips before you decide to invest in the marketplace.

Insisting on a home inspection can save you thousands of dollars. There are many things that can go wrong in a home that are not easy to see. One example is the electrical system. There can be problems in the wiring that you cannot see by simply turning on a light. Having a real estate inspector come in, can help reduce the chances that you will get any unwelcome surprises, after the purchase.

Consider the type of home that you want. There are condominiums, town house, single-family homes to choose from. Figure out what you want your home to be made of. How old do you want your home to be? These are a few things that will help you narrow the market down to the homes that you are interested in.

Don't rush into a purchase if you are buying a home. No matter how excited you may be about the house, no matter how much you are willing to pay whatever they are selling for--you've got to take a step back and think about whether this purchase is a smart one. Take at least 24 hours before making an offer on a home and you'll be able to think more clearly about your choices.

When buying a home, either to rent out or to live in, make sure to consider the quality of the local schools. Even if you don't have school-aged children, a home in a bad school district is much harder to sell. Rental units in bad school districts are also generally less profitable.

Try to remain objective when attending an open house or viewing a model home. Focus on the house itself rather than the decor. Remember, you are buying the house, not its contents. Focus on what's most important: square footage, the floor plan, wall space, windows, and doors. This will allow you to determine how well the house can accommodate YOUR decor and belongings.

When trying to figure out what type of a home you can afford, take a good look at your budget. Mortgage companies sometimes qualify people for more than they can actually afford on a monthly basis because of all the other things that people spend money on each month. So, if you go over your budget, you need to see how much you can afford to pay monthly while still having enough to put some into savings.

Don't let your Realtor pick the inspector or appraiser for your home. They will have their best interests in mind instead of your own. Choosing your own people will allow you do do the research into the person's background without insulting anyone personally or implying that your agent is untrustworthy.

Check out your real estate agent's history. A good realtor will provide you with the names and phone numbers of previous clients. Be sure to call them, and find out their experience with the realtor. A good question to ask is if they would list their home with the same agent in the future. If not, that may be a red flag.

When trying to decide what home to buy, consider the land that the home is on. If you find a house on a hill, will it have a view? Are there going to be a lot of steps to climb when carrying in your groceries? These are all things that you may not think of when viewing a home for the first time, but you need to be aware of any inconveniences. If you purchase the home, those inconveniences are yours.

If you really want to be sure of the purchase you make in real estate, you want to have the information needed to make a wise decision. With the guidance provided in this article, you can understand better what it takes to make a successful real estate purchase, and how to safeguard against common risks.




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