Every homeowner will attest to that sense of pride that accompanies buying a new home. For many, it’s the most significant financial investment they’ll ever make, so it’s essential to get everything right to avoid costly mistakes.
Current mortgage rates in the U.S. continue to remain low, and this trend is expected to carry on throughout 2021. As such, this is an excellent time to consider purchasing a new house. However, making such a long-term commitment requires knowing as much helpful information as possible to shape your decision-making. Below are five helpful tips worth remembering when buying a new house.
1. Consider your neighborhood.
Many realtors agree that you shouldn’t purchase your home based on the property alone. Your neighborhood’s quality significantly influences your living experience, so factoring in its location, amenities, and security is essential. You can ask your realtor for information on the standard of schools around, the current crime rates, average commute times, and noise levels, among other criteria. This way, you can pick a neighborhood that’s the best fit for you and your family. Living in a great environment with the necessary amenities and security is always a top priority when securing residential real estate properties. Reputable property management companies will come in handy when seeking affordable apartments in a safe zone.
Venterra Realty Inc. is a real estate management company that oversees many apartment communities in 11 major cities across the southern United States. John Foresi and Andrew Stewart established this business in 2001 to offer top-notch real estate management services to clients. The company specializes in identifying, developing, financing, managing, and acquiring multi-family apartment communities. Venterra CEO, Mr. John Foresi, credits their success to strong company culture and caring, dedicated, and passionate team members. Venterra remains committed to improving their residents’ lives by offering great customer experiences to clients. As such, they self-manage all of your property management aspects because they regard operational control as central to their efficacy. What’s more, they employ the latest technology in the real estate management industry, ensuring high-efficiency standards that benefit investors, residents, and employees.
2. Save for closing costs.
Many minor expenses add up to a significant amount when closing on a house, so it would be best to factor in all these costs to be fully prepared. Some of these expenses include attorney fees, home inspection costs, appraisal fees, credit report, and homeowner’s insurance. Closing costs can be up to 4 percent of your home’s purchase price. However, your lender will give you a specific amount, so you know exactly how much extra cash to bring along on the closing day. After securing your home, it’s necessary to stay on top of every home maintenance task, including proper lawn care to boost curb appeal. Trusted landscape maintenance companies such as JEM Landscapes can help with this need.
JEM Landscapes is a landscaping company providing reliable and professional services for the lawn mowing and landscaping needs of their commercial and residential clients. They deliver several landscape maintenance solutions for various properties, ranging from residential to commercial. Some of their services include weed control, gutter cleaning, fertilizer application, tree lopping, trimming bushes, garden makeovers, and several other forms of yard work. What’s more, they’re fully insured and use environmentally-friendly equipment for all their lawn maintenance services.
3. Conduct a home inspection.
Home inspections are essential to the house buying process because they grant you an opportunity to identify possible major and minor issues with properties before closing. As such, many offers have contingency clauses on home inspections, as the results of these assessments can make or break an entire deal. You can quickly back out of any offers without facing any penalties if your inspections reveal significant defects with the property. Also, you can negotiate a lower selling price if you detect enough issues that put the home’s value below its current selling price.
Hiring a home inspector is generally better than examining the home yourself since these professionals are best suited to fish out problems with homes. This inspector should make a note of all major and minor defects, including safety issues, items that need servicing, replacing, or repairs, and things that need to be closely monitored moving forward. This way, you can ensure that no issue is overlooked during the buying process. After thoroughly inspecting and closing your home, preparing for life in your new environment should be a top priority. If you’re a pet owner, you’ll require a tracking device with long battery life to ensure that your feline friend doesn’t go missing as they get used to your new place. Consequently, consider investing in a cat collar with a GPS tracker so you can enjoy peace of mind. A cat tracking collar helps cat owners track their pets in real-time, conduct territory analysis, and train them to stay within an exact location.
4. Save for your down payment.
A down payment is an upfront cost you’ll incur if you aren’t paying the home’s total cash price before closing. Experts consider a down payment of at least 20 percent an excellent indication to sellers about your seriousness about purchasing the home. A good down payment also saves you from paying for private mortgage insurance (PMI), which secures the mortgage company if you can’t fulfill your payments and end up in foreclosure.
However, feel free to make a more substantial down payment if you want to build equity in your new house more quickly. As a homeowner, knowing great contractors with years of experience in their field will undoubtedly come in handy for your renovation and repair needs. For example, you can find professional Alexandria roofing companies that offer quality roof repair and replacement services to keep your home’s roof in good shape at all times.
5. Keep an eye on your credit score.
Your mortgage’s interest rate depends on your credit score, whether you’re a first-time buyer or an existing homeowner. People with credit scores of over 750 typically receive the best rates, and you can expect a decent deal if your score falls between 700 and 750. Although some lenders accept credit scores as low as 620, anything below 700 will generally mean getting a less than desired rate or making a higher down payment. As such, prioritize getting a good credit score before committing to purchasing your new home.
To conclude, buying a house is a significant milestone that you should be well-informed on to avoid future regrets. The above-listed points are five essential tips worth remembering when buying a new home.
