Congratulations on taking the first steps by getting pre-approved and researching your neighborhoods. You are now ready to seriously start looking at homes. The first thing you should do is come up with a list of wants and needs. It's important to differentiate the two. Your "needs" are the aspects of a home that you won't compromise on - your "must haves". For example, you may have to have a minimum of 3 bedrooms, at least a 2 car garage or it must be zoned for a particular school. Your "wants" are the things that you would be willing to compromise on. You may "want" a fenced yard or a home with a pool, but if the house was perfect in every other way it would still be an option.
Now that you have your wish list of wants and needs it time to previewing homes on the internet. Our public Knoxville MLS site can be accessed here. After you've registered with your email address you will be taken to an easy to use map-based search site. Another great site is www.MyKnoxvilleHomeSearch.com which allows you to save homes you like and sign yourself up for a new listing notifier so that you don't miss out on new homes that come up on the market. Both of these sites are tied directly into the Knoxville MLS database which has every single listed home in Knoxville and surrounding counties available for you to view.
When you start searching for a home try not to tell yourself "I must see at least 30 homes before I can make a decision" or "I must look for at least 3 months before I will find what I want". Focus instead on "is the right house for me". It may very well be the first or second home you see or the 30th, but most buyers usually know right away even as they turn into the neighborhood and pull into the driveway - don't let the perfect home slip away just because you fee
l you haven't looked long enough.
If you are a first time homebuyer, don't delay too long in your search. The deadline for the $8000 tax credit is November 30, 2009. This means you must have CLOSED on the home by this date and not a day later. Also keep in mind that lender regulations have changed recently and the time it takes to close has increased in most cases. Plan on a 30-45 day close time and if you do qualify for the tax credit, make sure to have your offer in on the house you choose by October 15th to give you enough time to close by November 30th. There are a lot of first time home buyers out looking these days and the good homes are going fast.
One last note, interest rates have been slightly rising and are predicted to rise more by the end of the year. A small rise in interest rates can add hundreds of dollars to your monthly payment and you may not be able to afford as much house if you delay too long. We look forward to helping you find your dream home!
Knoxville Home Buying Series:
How to Buy a Home in Knoxville TN- Step 1- Secure Your Financing
How to Buy a Home in Knoxville TN-Step 2- Determining the Best Knoxville Neighborhood For You
How To Buy a Home in Knoxville, TN - Step 3 - Determining Your Wants and Needs
If you are looking to buy a home in the Greater Knoxville TN area instantly search all homes for sale at www.MyKnoxvilleHomeSearch.com. If you are looking for a luxury home in Knoxville TN visit http://knoxvilleluxuryhomesellers.com.
Instantly search all properties for sale in the Knoxville TN and surrounding areas now!
www.MyKnoxvilleHomeSearch.com
Visit Christine McInerney and Jennifer Halinkowski with Keller Williams Realty on-line at:
www.HomesForSaleKnoxville.com and www.KnoxvilleReal-Estate.com
Office: (865) 694-5904
Christine (865) 237-5289 and Jennifer (865) 621-3658
Mail to: McIn-Kowski@HomesForSaleKnoxville.com
Instantly Search For All Knoxville, TN Homes , Condos , and land For Sale!!
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