For most people finding the home is the main goal. There are several others things that are just as important as the home but are overlooked and most people either get lucky or never get to the goal of finding their dream home and get stuck with a home they really dont like or even worse dont find a home at all.
What are these other things?
Finding a good Realtor, finding a good lender. These two things will greatly help with getting your dream home and making sure you get the best deal. First of all they should not be the same person. Both jobs take time and expertise and even though some try being both they are not looking for your best interest.
A good Realtor will know the area and most importantly know the current market. If you are not familiar with the area you are interested in, a good Realtor should be able to point you in the right direction to get you the information you need to answer any questions you have about that paticular area, schools, crime stats, local businesses etc.
A good lender has access to many programs and should be aware of which one may fit your needs and fit with the home you are interested in. They should also be local and know what is required for this area and also know the current market.
As the market changes so do the programs and offers on homes on the market. Right now the market is a buyers market and there is a large inventory. You would think that homes are moving off the market with such great deals, but right now they are not. With the "creative"loans that were made 2-3 years ago the terms are changing and the owners can not meet the new payments and are in forclosure or selling their home for less than they owe therefore needing the banks approval. Home are sitting and banks are getting nervous. This is when they are having to adjust to the market and come up with programs that are fair, legal and acceptable to buyers. There are several new loans that are just that but there are a lot of lenders that dont know.
This market will separate the Realtors and lender that really know their jobs and work for you. So when you are starting out your search, talk to the Realtor and lender ask then about the market and what they can do for you and how they work. This will save you time and your next home.
And remeber finding the home is just part of the job.
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