Take the Stress Out of buying a Home

  • To make your home buying experience a positive one, you would be well advised to decide what is most important to you and then match that criteria with a professional Realtor® who will understand your needs and work in your behalf to protect you and to advise you in a comfortable but businesslike manner.
  • When you find a home that meets your criteria and you're excited about it, submit a contract after consulting with your Realtor®. There is no way to guess whether it is the right time to buy or to sell for that matter. The market is constantly changing, but it changes slowly over a long period of time and is unlikely to affect the price in the short term.
  • Keep it simple. Everyone will have a suggestion or idea about what you should do. Find two or three close people that you trust and try to make the right decision. Too many spoons in the pot can be confusing.
  • Make a decision early on the most important elements of your criteria. You most likely will not find a home that matches 100 percent, but you should be able to come close. No home is perfect, but you can enjoy it just the same. Don't sweat the small stuff.
  • It's got to be a win-win situation for everyone involved in the transaction. Everyone wants the best deal possible, but at the same time you don't want to lose the home because of ill advised negotiations. Listen to your Realtor®, they should have the pulse of the marketplace.
  • There are many elements that go into an enjoyable lifestyle with your new home. Emotions can take over when you see beautiful features in a home such as a large kitchen, master bedroom suite, pool in the backyard, etc. But don't forget other elements that impact your life such as location to work, traffic noise from a nearby highway, convienence to shopping and church, etc. Consider all the factors before submitting a contract.
  • Start early to prepare yourself to make an offer on your dream home. Get a pre-approval letter from your lender and discuss the various types of mortgages that may work for your budget. Get an estimate from insurance agents, movers and decorators. When you find the perfect home, you want to make your offer as strong as possible without a lot of contingencies.
  • Everyone is aware of the major expenses in buying a home such as downpayment and closing costs. Don't forget that once you move in you are going to want to personalize your home possibly with a new paint scheme, new furniture perhaps, but don't forget the new maintenace costs that go along with a new home. You want to protect your investment.
  • Once you move into your new home, whether it's a resale or new-construction, there is bound to be something you find that you missed the first time that you don't care for. No home is perfect and buyer's remorse is very common. It will pass and you most likely will enjoy your home for many years and will be glad you made such a good investment. Again, don't sweat the small stuff.
  • Unless you are an investor and are buying the home strickly to rent and enjoy the appreciation, don't worry quite so much about the appreciation when buying a home for personal use. History shows it will appreciate over the long term. Buy your home to enjoy.

 

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RUTH BETHEM, ABR, CRS, GRI, Realtor®
Premier Sotheby's International Realty
4001 Tamiami Trail N, Suite #102
Naples, Florida 34103

Phone: 239-777-7007 or Toll Free 877-777-7545

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