What to Look for Before Making an Offer on Your First House

28 July 2016
 Categories: Real Estate, Blog

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If you are working on buying the very first house you have ever bought, looking for a suitable property can be both exciting and terrifying. After all, you are about to spend a great deal of money over the course of more than a decade; you need to be sure that the house you choose is affordable, safe, and well-suited to you and your family. Here are some things you should be looking for before you make an offer on your first home.

A Mortgage

Many homebuyers make the mistake of looking at numerous houses and then trying to find a mortgage when they finally see one they like. This can be a mistake because you might not be able to get a mortgage for the amount of the house you've fallen in love with. To avoid problems and save time, instead look for a mortgage before you go forward.

Your own personal bank is a great place to start looking for a mortgage, as they might offer you more favorable terms due to the relationship you already have with them. You can then consult other lenders in the neighborhood to find out if you can find more agreeable terms.

A Community Newspaper

You will need to have some idea of whether a certain house is in a good neighborhood and whether there will be a lot of things for you to do once you move in. A great place to find out this information is the local paper, so look for one before you put in an offer on a house. Many community newspapers have a copy of the police blotter, notices about arrests, and stories about crimes. They also tend to have social calendars, so you can use these community newspapers to see what kinds of activities the area offers for your family. Many small local papers can be found at the local library, so head there to get copies.

The Police Station

You might think that the police are too busy conducting important business to talk to you, but you should also look for the police station before you make an offer on a house. Of course, you want to notice how far away the station is, but more importantly, you want to spend a few moments with an officer to discuss how safe a particular street and neighborhood are. This can set you mind at ease so that you feel comfortable putting in an offer.

After using the information laid out in this article, you should be better able to buy real estate. Ensure that you're working with a great real-estate agent to avoid mistakes during this process so that you can soon enjoy your first home.