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11-25-2007, 08:52 AM | #1 |
Spoilin' Tilly & Jack Donating Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Indiana
Posts: 2,227
| When to start looking.... to buy a house? My husband graduates college in May and we are going to be moving out of our rental. This is our first time owning a home and we will be clueless on everything, including when to start looking. I don't want to start to late but not real early either. We would like to be moved in late May/early June. So what month should we start looking? Right now is to soon. Just curious on what others suggest. We kind of have a month in mind but we are afraid we would be pushing it. Thanks!
__________________ Momma Tilly Money will buy you a pretty good dog, but it won't buy the wag of his tail. |
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11-25-2007, 09:05 AM | #2 | |
2 Pups=Double Trouble! Donating Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Iowa
Posts: 6,581
| Quote:
Now with all that in mind, I will tell you that we put an offer on our home on December 12 of last year and did our closing on February 1st, and them moved February 15! Talk about an "off" time to buy and move-right in the middle of an Iowa winter!!! Also, if you're really eager to move, start packing up NOW-it always takes longer than you think it will. After the holidays, box up all the winter stuff and decorations as if you were moving. Same goes for items that you don't use frequently. Also, as your son outgrows his clothes, pack them up for the next child, or donate them. Do the same with clothing that you and your DH no longer wear. If you get a jump on it now, it will be easier and faster to get moved as soon as you find the home you're looking for.
__________________ Suzy Emma & Milli What's better than loving a yorkie? Loving two yorkies! Milli 's Remi! | |
11-25-2007, 09:23 AM | #3 |
2 Pups=Double Trouble! Donating Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Iowa
Posts: 6,581
| Oh, I thought of a few more things: Start just LOOKING online now at available houses (I know, it's tough just to LOOK), or go to a few open houses and just see what's out there. Then, work together with your husband and make a list of what's important to the two of you to have in a home. For example, we were only looking at homes with 3+ bedrooms, 2+ bathrooms, with a fenced in yard, 2+ car garage, with certain locations in mind. Those were the "musts"-then we also liked ranch-style homes, fireplaces, open plans, and wood floors, and I liked contemporary or 1950-60's construction. Take your list with you when you look online, or when you attend open houses, and find out where to look for homes that meet your criteria, what your price range is to have all of the things you want. You should consult a realtor to help you in your search. Our realtor was invaluable to us, and has become a great friend to us-we still keep in touch with us. Ask friends and family who they've used, and what they liked/didn't like about that person, and find the right person for you. We too were moving from a rental to our first home, with my DH newly graduated from law school, and we didn't know anything about the process either. Our realtor helped us find the right home for us, and we had fun looking. (It took us FOREVER it seemed!) Talk to a mortgage lender, and find out how much home you can really afford. The online calculators can be deceiving, since they don't necessarily take other factors into account, like taxes, living expenses, and insurance. A lender can tell you how much you're pre-approved for, and you and your husband can discuss how much you want to put toward a mortgage each month. Please also keep in mind that a home costs much more than you think-you need to have some money set aside for small emergencies and repairs. Take this into consideration when planning how much you can pay each month in a mortgage. There are also costs to "set up" your home, and if you're anything like I am, you want it all done before you move in! In the two weeks we owned our home, before we moved in, we had the entire interior painted (the previous owner had terrible taste in paint colors!!!), the carpets cleaned (why move furniture in, and then move it again to have carpets steam cleaned?), a few misc. repairs done (dishwasher gasket, caulking in the bathrooms, etc.), and furniture/appliances delivered (it's much easier to have these things delivered when there's nothing else in the way!) You'll also want to take the time to clean everything yourself-or hire someone to clean for you, depending on how far you're moving. There will be bills you may not have had when renting-water, trash, gas/electric, internet, phone, cable, association dues, etc. You'll also need to change the locks, pay for movers/rent a moving truck, and you'll have to buy things you didn't need to worry about when renting, like a lawnmower, trimmer, snowblower or shovel, etc. Ok, sorry that's so long, but being a new homeowner myself, I wanted to share some of the things with you that we encountered. Happy house hunting!
__________________ Suzy Emma & Milli What's better than loving a yorkie? Loving two yorkies! Milli 's Remi! |
11-25-2007, 09:27 AM | #4 |
Piper & Sebastian Donating Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: florida
Posts: 14,495
| Suzy those are a lot of good ideas.
__________________ Susan, Piper ,Harley & Suiki |
11-25-2007, 10:38 AM | #5 |
Donating Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: May 2006 Location: Panama City, FL
Posts: 554
| It's a buyers market right now (at least here it is) so that's a good thing for you. A friend recently purchased a home for about $70,000.00 less than the original asking price. I'd start looking now so that you have a good idea of the area and what is available when you are ready to make your purchase. Good luck!
__________________ NOBODY CAN FULLY UNDERSTAND THE MEANING OF LOVE UNLESS THEY'RE OWNED BY A DOG |
11-25-2007, 10:38 AM | #6 |
Spoilin' Tilly & Jack Donating Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Indiana
Posts: 2,227
| WOW Suzy!!! You have GREAT ideas. I'm always looking online just to get a feel of what's out there and what I want. Hubby and I pretty much want the same things in a home. We've went to a couple open houses in the past, but the real estate agents were just so pushy. We told them we aren't looking to buy until Spring but yet they email us more listings and call us non-stop. We kind of want to look at our own pace. It is overwhelming and I don't want to feel rushed by them. At our rental we pay all the utilities so we have the feel of that. We have in mind what we can afford, but we are telling ourselves not to look up that far in price. I want to be able to really afford the home. I've seen to much from my in-laws. They thought they would be able to afford their home too, which now all their money is going right into the mortgage and they hate it. I don't want to be like that. Besides, I will still want some emergency and shopping money left. Thanks so much for your advice!
__________________ Momma Tilly Money will buy you a pretty good dog, but it won't buy the wag of his tail. |
11-25-2007, 10:39 AM | #7 | |
Spoilin' Tilly & Jack Donating Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Indiana
Posts: 2,227
| Quote:
__________________ Momma Tilly Money will buy you a pretty good dog, but it won't buy the wag of his tail. | |
11-25-2007, 11:43 AM | #8 |
& Sweet Sophie's too!!! Donating Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Tuttle, OK
Posts: 2,797
| Hello .... Yes Marchish should be fine to start looking. Generally about 30 days to the closing table once you are under contract on a home. At least here in Okla that is. As a Realtor l will say this much.... If you are going to use a Realtor (highly recommended) STAY WITH ONE... don't Realtor jump. Your Realtor can help you with any home listed with any other Realtor. So once you start working with one (as long as you click) stick with them. Call and give them addresses of interest if you see one while driving around. If you go to an open house let the Realtor that is present know UP FRONT that you are working with ______ and you will be using him/her to write your offer. Alot of times an agent will pull the "well I can write it up for you, no problem" line. That is sooooo frustrtaing to a Realtor who has worked with a buyer then POOF... they have another agent write the offer. Hope that makes sense. Make sure you have your loan approval letter from your lender ready to go when you are ready to write an offer and it is not expired. Each company is different on how long the approvals are good for. It is always good to send an approval with your offer. I wish you luck with your search. It is FUN but can be a little stressful. Let your Realtor help you through the process and everything will go great!!!
__________________ Angi ~ Mom to Rusty, Sophie & Sandy |
11-25-2007, 11:47 AM | #9 |
Donating YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Jacksonville, NC
Posts: 1,133
| my best friend's mom is a Realtor and I also have a lot of customers that are Realtors. Another good reason to have your own is that if you're buying a home and only speaking to their Realtor, they're trying to sell that home for their customer. If you're their customer, they're going to be obligated to do their best for you, not the other home owner. I think the term is a buyers or sellers agreement. It's a contract that just says they're representing you. Nothing more, nothing less. And I don't think it's for a specific amount of time.
__________________ |
11-25-2007, 11:49 AM | #10 | |
Spoilin' Tilly & Jack Donating Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Indiana
Posts: 2,227
| Quote:
Thank you so much for your great advice.
__________________ Momma Tilly Money will buy you a pretty good dog, but it won't buy the wag of his tail. | |
11-25-2007, 11:54 AM | #11 | |
2 Pups=Double Trouble! Donating Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Iowa
Posts: 6,581
| Quote:
__________________ Suzy Emma & Milli What's better than loving a yorkie? Loving two yorkies! Milli 's Remi! | |
11-25-2007, 12:00 PM | #12 | |
& Sweet Sophie's too!!! Donating Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Tuttle, OK
Posts: 2,797
| Quote:
__________________ Angi ~ Mom to Rusty, Sophie & Sandy | |
11-25-2007, 12:03 PM | #13 | |
Spoilin' Tilly & Jack Donating Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Indiana
Posts: 2,227
| Quote:
__________________ Momma Tilly Money will buy you a pretty good dog, but it won't buy the wag of his tail. | |
11-25-2007, 12:36 PM | #14 | |
BANNED FOR NOT MAILING PRODUCTS PURCHASED | Quote:
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11-25-2007, 02:16 PM | #15 |
YT Addict Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Bay area, CA
Posts: 345
| You have gotten great advice from some very smart people here!! We have moved 5 times in 15 years. All work related. My best advice would be: *To look around at everything. Pick the perfect house for you. You want to love everything about the house. It is almost like picking your yorkie. Find the one for you! *Tell your realtor exactly what you want. If there is something that you absolutely hate in a house tell him/her that. For me it is the location of the laundry room. If the house is a two story, the laundry room has to be up stair. There are six people in my family and I refuse the carry laundy up and down. *Don't forget if you have kids, to think about school district and how far way the school with be from your new home. I love my house because my kids can walk two blocks in either direction and be at the elementry school and high school. *If socializing with the neighbors is important to you. Then drive by a house you are interested in at different times of the day. To see what is going on. We have lived in houses where all the neighbors hung out in the court all afternoon. We have also lived on streets where no one is ever out. *When we purchased our current house. It went on the market in Feb. and we bought it the first weekend that it was on the market. We were the first people to look at the house! I knew it was coming on the marker. I had watched the area and knew what was available and how the price compared. We make an offer stating that we didn't want to move in until June 1st. We closed on the house in March and the old owners rented the house from us until the end of May. |
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