We talked about the reasons for considering buying your first home in "Redding, CA, Homes for Sale, Buying Your First Home Can Be Easy and Fun, Part 1". and in Part 2, we talked about how to get started "Redding, CA, Homes for Sale, Buying Your First Home Can Be Easy and Fun, Part 2. In Part 3, we are going to talk about what type of house and finding your new home.

Decide What Type of House You Want:

• Your Realtor will help to define your needs, tastes and preferences. We will work together to learn about our local market, the neighborhoods and types of homes available in our area. We'll consider whether a sub-division home and what is available in the wide range of Redding proper, to acreage and homes that offer more space, to town homes and the advantages and disadvantages of all our options. We want to talk about features and preferences....granite counter tops, central air and heat and the grades of construction and how these factors can provide better investment over time. We are going to be learning and understanding our real estate market.
• We are going to want to consider your lifestyle and how your new home will support what you love to do. If you want to be near the "walking trails systems" in Redding, or if you prefer some land for raising animals or horses. Perhaps golf is your passion and we will want to look at golf course homes. Waterfront or creek front properties that provide you that special environment that is like being on vacation....full time.
• We are going to have to think about what part of Redding or Shasta County you prefer and we will need to invest the time to know these different areas and their price ranges. We will need to match our buying capacity with the best possible choice in lifestyle and homes.
  
• We are going to want to identify and consider the neighborhoods that are older versus newer in term of property tax. Newer homes and neighborhoods will have high taxes for the development of the area. Older homes will have a lower tax base that has been paid over time. The tax rate is 1% of the purchase price and then the special bonds of the area also affect this tax base. This is something that we will consider when learning about our local real estate market.
• With the increasing cost of gas, we will want to consider the cost of commuting and factor this into your decision on where and what type of property you will prefer. If your daily commute to work, school, shopping or other locations will be very long, you my have greater automobile expenses.
  

Fingding Your New Home--Now the fun and the hunt begins. The task will be fun and easier since you've already have completed the important preliminary steps. Well begun is half done.

Looking at Houses--As your Realtor, I will be showing you the homes that meet your needs and working closely with you to define our preferences.

I will make arrangements for you to see those homes that closely match our goals and requirements. We want to be as efficient as possible and save you time. We will track and maintain a list of homes that have touched us and provided us with that connection feeling.

As your professional Realtor, I will keep you informed about homes that are new on the market or those with price changes. I will help to identify all the potential sellers in your market by working with the entire real estate community.

We will need to balance that connection feeling with what can work for us financially and in every other aspect of your lifestyle. When you are seriously considering a house, you'll want to inspect it thoroughly looking for any problems. No house will be perfect and so our inspection will be important in identifying what we can accept and what we can afford to repair. These things can be negotiated within the transaction as well. Our strategy on your purchase will be part of the expertise and experience I bring to support you in reaching your real estate goals.

Next we will talk about "Starting the Buying Process" in Part 4. Call us today and we can help you get started in the process of learning about your goals for your first home.

Don't forget to call us so we can begin helping you to learn about the choices you have. Redding Real Estate is our specialty. Call Jeanean Gendron, your Shasta Specialist and learn about how we can help you own your first home. We are waiting to hear from you and looking forward to working with you on this very important endeavor. Thank you for visiting and we'll see you soon!