There are right ways and wrong ways to buy a home. The latter of which will cost you a lot of unnecessary money, stress, and frustration. Use best practices, however — as offered by real estate experts below — and you'll walk away from a winner with a smile on your face and cash still in your bank account.
1. Research agents before choosing one
Selecting the right real estate agent can make all the difference when it comes to finding your dream home and negotiating the best price. Carlos Miramontez, vice president of mortgage lending at a California credit union, offers a few pointers on narrowing down the agent pool.
"Doing your research upfront can help you make a wise decision and choose a well-qualified real estate agent who's right for your needs," he writes on the company blog. "Remember that you're creating a business relationship. It's important that you work well together, as it could be several months before the entire buying or selling process is complete. Enjoy a cup a coffee with a few agents before you make the decision on which partner is right for you."
There also are specific questions you should be asking your agent, such as:
How often will you send me listings?
Will you show me homes when I'm available (e.g., after work or on the weekends)?
How long have you worked in real estate?
What type of property do you specialize in (e.g., condos, single-family, or town homes)?
Have you worked with other clients in my desired area and price range?
2. Search social media for local real estate groups
Social media is a great resource for connecting with real estate agents in an unfamiliar area, says Brady Hanna, president of Mill Creek Home Buyers in Kansas City, who has been buying, renting, and flipping houses for over a decade.
"Search on Facebook for real estate groups in your local area," he says. "You will be surprised to find that there will probably be 10 or more. Join all of them, including investor and wholesaler groups. Then post across all of these groups that you are looking to buy a house in ABC area, what your criteria is, and if they have any off-market properties to send your way, and include your email address. You would be amazed at how many people will send you off-market properties using this technique. I have bought six properties in the last few months just from local Facebook groups."
3. Add a personal touch when there are multiple offers
How do you stand out in a pool of potential buyers? Send a personal note to the seller with a creative story about yourself, why you're the best buyer for the house, and your plan to make it a home.
"If you talk about your family in the letter, you will pull at the heartstrings of the seller and have a much better chance of being selected if you have a similar offer than another buyer," Hanna says. "I have experienced this personally when selling houses and every time I picked the buyer that wrote the personal note when I had multiple similar offers." 4. Don't automatically settle on city living
Life in the city is attractive and convenient for a lot of people, especially if you're the type that likes to have necessities within walking distance. But even though life's essentials are easily accessible, the financial picture over time may rob you of a certain quality of life.
"Be sure to check out properties in the 'burbs and take the cost and time of your commute into consideration," suggests Shane Lee, data analyst for RealtyHop. "While the city life is always amazing, you might find a way better deal in the burbs. You can even find a fixer upper and make it your dream house with the money you save on the purchase."
5. Run through all costs before starting the home-buying process
Most first-time home-buyers concentrate on the down payment — the largest of all the out-of-pocket expenses — but there are plenty of other fees required for a property purchase that you should be aware of before starting the process.
"Budget for down payment, closing costs, and other costs as early as possible," Lee advises. "In addition to the 20 percent down payment (some lenders require less), origination fees are usually between 2 and 5 percent of the total loan amount, and it is crucial that you start saving early on, so you have enough cash to cover all mortgage-related payments, legal fees, as well as broker's commission by the time you are ready to close the deal."
