5 questions to ask when buying a home

5 questions to ask when buying a home
https://mls.rocks/5QuestionsHomeBuying
Here are a few questions that buyers can ask to help them make a more informed decision when purchasing a home.
#homebuying  #buyingahome  #homebuyers  #purchasing  #realestate

7 Steps to Take Before You Buy a Home

7 Steps to Take Before You Buy a Home
https://mls.rocks/7StepsBeforeBuying 
Most potential homebuyers are a smidge daunted by the fact that they're about to agree to a hefty mortgage that they'll be paying for the next few decades. These seven steps will help you make smart decisions. Click link for full article.

#homebuying  #firsttimehomebuyer  #buyingahome  #purchasing  #realtor

5 questions to ask when buying a home

5 questions to ask when buying a home
https://mls.rocks/5QuestionsHomeBuying
Here are a few questions that buyers can ask to help them make a more informed decision when purchasing a home.
#homebuying  #buyingahome  #homebuyers  #purchasing  #realestate

7 Steps to Take Before You Buy a Home

7 Steps to Take Before You Buy a Home
https://mls.rocks/7StepsBeforeBuying 
Most potential homebuyers are a smidge daunted by the fact that they're about to agree to a hefty mortgage that they'll be paying for the next few decades. These seven steps will help you make smart decisions. Click link for full article.

#homebuying  #firsttimehomebuyer  #buyingahome  #purchasing  #realtor

5 questions to ask when buying a home

5 questions to ask when buying a home
https://mls.rocks/5QuestionsHomeBuying
Here are a few questions that buyers can ask to help them make a more informed decision when purchasing a home.
#homebuying  #buyingahome  #homebuyers  #purchasing  #realestate

7 Steps to Take Before You Buy a Home

7 Steps to Take Before You Buy a Home
https://mls.rocks/7StepsBeforeBuying 
Most potential homebuyers are a smidge daunted by the fact that they're about to agree to a hefty mortgage that they'll be paying for the next few decades. These seven steps will help you make smart decisions. Click link for full article.

#homebuying  #firsttimehomebuyer  #buyingahome  #purchasing  #realtor

5 questions to ask when buying a home

5 questions to ask when buying a home
https://mls.rocks/5QuestionsHomeBuying
Here are a few questions that buyers can ask to help them make a more informed decision when purchasing a home.
#homebuying  #buyingahome  #homebuyers  #purchasing  #realestate

7 Steps to Take Before You Buy a Home

7 Steps to Take Before You Buy a Home
https://mls.rocks/7StepsBeforeBuying 
Most potential homebuyers are a smidge daunted by the fact that they're about to agree to a hefty mortgage that they'll be paying for the next few decades. These seven steps will help you make smart decisions. Click link for full article.

#homebuying  #firsttimehomebuyer  #buyingahome  #purchasing  #realtor

What’s Just as Important As Location when Choosing a home?

There is no denying that the location of a home plays a huge role in determining its value. Prime school zone, proximity to shopping and entertainment and overall quality of a neighborhood all contribute to a home’s price. But there is one other thing that has great value; is the home RIGHT for YOU? Obviously, this is something that cannot be calculated from reports and statistics.

Consider Exterior Features

photo credit: Etrusia UK via photopin cc

When comparing different homes, potential buyers should really pay attention to exterior features. The main feature on the outside of a home is the yard. Some people really enjoying planting flowers, managing shrubbery and nurturing a lawn to its greenest potential. Other people would rather have no yard work at all.

Besides the lawn and shrubs, what other items would you like to have in the yard? Have you always dreamed of a pool where you can relax away during the summer months? Or maybe a nice patio with furniture and room for entertaining guests is more your style.

Interior Features

The next part of the home to consider is the interior features. Since this is likely where you will spend most of your time, you should take some time to determine if the home will make you happy.

A person who loves to cook and prepare food for a large number of guests will likely be unhappy with a tiny kitchen and small eating area. On the other hand, a young person with no desire to cook would waste their time looking at a home with a double oven setup and formal dining room.

Do you have a growing family? Does it make sense to get a house with barely enough room for your current needs when you know those needs will soon change? If you are or soon will be an empty nester, do you really need 4+ bedrooms?

There are other things to consider such as adequate closet space, placement of windows and the number of bathrooms relative to the number of bedrooms.

How Does the Home Feel?

Home is where the heart is, or so the saying goes. It is vital that the property feels right. A wise Realtor® will tell prospective buyers to spend some time walking around a place, looking at rooms from different angles, and soaking up the sights and sounds. This is something that is tough to explain but easy to understand once you experience it. A house may be in a great neighborhood and have one or two of the main features that you really want. However, the hall may be too narrow, the master bath may have a layout that is not appealing to you tastes or there is just that one wall that is in your way.

Considering the amount of money spent on a typical home, and the average number of years that people live in a property, it is important to be happy with the property from day one. Being able to afford a quality home in a good area is one thing. Loving the property and being happy to come home every day is a totally different thing.

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Tips for Picking the Right Evansville WI Home

Tips for Picking the Right Evansville Wisconsin Home


Finding the home that meets your needs and makes you happy will usually take a little time and effort.  Here are some tips that should make the whole process easier for you and your Realtor.

Develop a List

What exactly are you looking for in a home?  If you are buying the home with another person then there are two sets of opinions and preferences to contend with.  For this reason it is a good idea to make a short list of the features that you cannot live without.  You also need to determine what features you CAN'T live with.  Having these items identified and discussed before looking at homes can save some frustration.  An easy way to develop the list is to look at your current living arrangements.  Decide what you would like to have different in your next place and put that on the list.

Location

Picking a good location is important to every purchase. You need to determine if the home is close enough to your job.  Some people don't mind a short drive everyday while other people prefer to be at work in just a minute or two.  If you have children, what is the reputation for the school district of the home you are considering? Do you like to shop or attend certain events like concerts or sports?  If so, how close are the available shopping and sporting venues?  Looking at the home's surroundings is also important.  Do you want to be in a well established community, next to a commercial development or out in the country with privacy?  The location is one of the prime indicators of a home's future value.  If you feel that you will sell the home in a few years then you need to take into account the home's potential for appreciation.

Mortgage Pre-Approval

Getting pre-approved for the mortgage loan is one of the best things to do before you start hunting for a house.  The maximum amount you can qualify for is based upon your credit, your down payment, the amount of income you earn and the available interest rates at the time.  Once you have your pre-approval letter from a lender you will be able to tell your Realtor the price range of the homes that you would like to consider.

Take Along a List

If you plan to look at multiple homes it can be difficult to remember important features of each home.  Take some pictures when you look at homes and make notes about the features you like as well as the features that are displeasing to you.  Having good notes can help you narrow down your choices to the home that actually meets your needs.

Listen to Your Realtor

It is good to ask questions of you Realtor and listen to their input.  Realtors have lots of information about the home's neighborhood, facts such as appreciation rates and average time to sale, as well as property tax information.  Ask lots of questions, take solid notes and use the data from your Realtor to help you make your purchase decision.

      

View a home without leaving your house!

A new listing comes on the market that catches your eye. The interior photos look bright and inviting, while the exterior shots show well cared for landscaping that give the home great curb appeal. This could be the one you've been waiting for!

You immediately call your realtor and set up a personal showing for the next day. After taking off a little early from work to see the home in good daylight, you arrive at the property.

What awaits you is the dissapointing realization that your dream home is locating directly next to a busy gas station!

Of course this situation could have been avoided if you or your real estate agent had previously driven by the property, but often due to busy schedules it is hard to find the time. A more simple solution is to utilize a couple of online websites to view the exterior of most homes from your computer desk!

The first website I would recommend that you use is Google Maps. Simply type in the address of the location you are interested in. You will first be given an overhead street view of the neighborhood. This alone can help reveal the property's true location. I've included photos of the Capitol Building in Madison Wisconsin for dramatic effect!

Now, use the ‘+' sign on the left hand side of the screen to zoom to a closer overhead view. When you get close enough, Google Maps will actually convert your the view into a Street View. This will show you what the home looks like from street level. You can even turn left or right to look up and down the street.

For overhead shots, I actually prefer what Bing Maps has to offer. This site has more clear overhead views. You simply need to select ‘Birds Eye' from the menu at the top. On this site you are able to rotate your view by 90 degrees at a time. This can give you an idea of how large the trees in the backyard are, if the house has a fenced in yard, or where the shed is exactly located.

Using sites like these is just another tool a potential home buyer can use to narrow down the field of potential properties. I use this tool as a realtor almost every day and it really has helped me be that much more efficient. I hope it can help you as well!