| #3 NEIGHBORHOOD INFORMATION |
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10 Steps to Buying Your Home
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Now
that you have your list of needs and wants and you know how much you can
afford to spend, it's time to look at some houses! Well, not just yet. Step
back for a moment and consider the larger picture. People don't just buy
a house, they buy the neighborhood the house is in. Think about that...if
you found the perfect house but it was in a neighborhood that was not to
your liking, would you make an offer on it? Most likely the answer would
be, "No."
So, you will need
to make another list of what type
of neighborhood you want to live in. You will most likely want to
consider things like how living in the neighborhood will effect your drive
time to and from work, what amenities are offered (swimming pool, tennis
courts, park, etc.), and, if you have children who are attending school
or soon will be, what school district you will be in and how close the
schools are. You may even want to make two lists just like you did with
your home criteria.
Your
agent can save you time and money by taking the information from your list of needs and
wants for your home, your preapproval, and your list of needs and wants
for the neighborhood and incorporating them into a broad search profile
which will then be narrowed down to specific areas dictated by the market
in which you will be looking. Your agent's experience in the local market
will be an invaluable resource during this step.
