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15 Dartmouth Road Suite 15
Bedford, Nova Scotia
B4A 3X6 902 - 835 - 2000
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The 6 essential steps every first-time buyer should know
The best way to prepare to own your first home is to educate yourself about the home buying process. You can take a class or pick up books from the library. Also, read the real estate sections of your newspaper and consumer magazines.
Here are some things you will want to do:
- Ask lots of questions.
Learn what questions to ask and where to ask them. Your list of questions when you are interviewing real estate agents will be different than those you ask when shopping for a lender.
- Prioritize your criteria.
Determine what you want and need in a new house, the location preferred, and prioritize your list.
- Study a variety of mortgage choices.
Investigate the available loan options and decide which is best for you. You may want to contact several lenders to learn about the many mortgage products available.
- Be ready when we see the right home.
If weve all done our homework, we just might find the right homes and locations, thats just fine, too!
- Get pre-approved before you house shop.
Get pre-approved for a loan before you start looking for a home so you know how much you can afford to pay. Once you are actively house hunting, lock in your interest rate - if it's a good one. Obtaining a pre-approval will speed up the whole process. We can recommend a number of good lenders to assist with this process, often simply over the phone.
- Work with your agent
Work with your agent on a purchase offer when you decide on a home. You should ask your agent for a market analysis to find out what similar homes are currently selling for in your chosen area. You and your agent should tailor the sales contract to suit your needs. For example, you can make the sale conditional upon a favorable home inspection report
Return to: Sellers Strategies
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