I am 19 years old and I just got prequalified on my own. At my age and income, I wasn't prequalified for very much ($85,000). Right now I live an hour and a half away from work and need to move closer by October (when my current lease goes up).
None of the houses I have seen have been very nice at all and the only homes that are in that price range are still around 45 minutes away from my job. There are no nice apartments near my work and I would really prefer to buy a home. I was hoping I could at least find a townhome in this price range. I'm not picky, I'd just rather not live in a small home that was built in the 30s.
I'm starting to get frusterated and pessimistic about this situation. Did anyone else feel this way when they were a first time home buyer?
2006-07-25 04:06:49 · 16 answers · asked by Anonymous in Business & Finance ➔ Renting & Real Estate
I do have a real estate agent and I am located in North Carolina.
2006-07-25 04:32:19 · update #1
For that amount of money you will probably only be able to get a small (2 Bedroom, 1 Bath) starter home. Or a home that will need a lot of work. Most new homes, even that size start out about $150,000 (depending on where you live). I would just keep looking eventually you'll come across a house you love. Also, when looking be sure to remeber you can always change the wall color for not that much money. Plus some older homes can have a lot of nice character that newer homes now days, just don't have.
When my husband and I bought our first home we ended up going with one that others didn't seem to be interested in because it was dirty. The previous occupants were hard core smokers and had pets that went to the bathroom in a few non designated rooms. We put down and offer, got the house, a little bit of elbow grease and some paint, and now are on our way to a very nice home.
Another tip I would have to not waste so much of your realtor's time would be to look up some homes on the internet yourself via www.realtor.com or some other silmar search engine and to drive by all potential homes that you and your realtor finds. That way you can discover if the house is even situated where you like, i.e. its in a bad neighborhood, busy street, you hear highway noise, etc...
Good luck in your search.
2006-07-25 04:17:41 · answer #1 · answered by Sherry 4 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Your first home will not be exactly what you want, but at 19 it is great that you are buying. Look for houses that need some work in better neighborhoods, rather than trying to find a perfect house. You do not say what area you are looking, in some parts of the country $85,000 does not buy much.
A small home built in the 30's in a good area will gain in value. The secret is to buy a structurally sound house in the best area that you can afford. Fix it up while you are living there,and in a couple of years you can sell it, and use the profit to get something that you like better.
Make sure you have the home professionally inspected prior to purchase. Do not sigh a contract without a home inspection contingency and a mortgage contingency .
Good luck
2006-07-25 04:18:01 · answer #2 · answered by fire4511 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Have you thought of looking for a For Sale BY Owner??? They may lower the price, since they do not have tpo pay the realotor fees (runs 3-7 percent of the loan amt) and they may be willing to help you with closing cost also.
Check out yahoo word search - NC - areas etc... home values on zillow.com is a start - but have found they are lower by 10 percent - so that is an estimate....good luck to you.
2006-07-25 13:34:54 · answer #3 · answered by W. E 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes. Please do not settle unless you can justify the house appreciating in the near term. Unfortunately the best answer is to continue renting for a while until your income level matures or until you are married and have a second income.
You are still very young and you are going to be growing and maturing like crazy in the next 5 years. Take your time....
2006-07-25 04:10:50 · answer #4 · answered by 3eleven 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
well congrats on prequalifying but you shouldnt rush a real estate purchase is huge. you should try www.realtor.com you can search based on the area you want to live and see whats available in your price range.
2006-07-25 04:09:03 · answer #5 · answered by scra99y 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hang in there, the Real Estate market is beginning to shift and prices will start to come down soon.
2006-07-25 04:10:41 · answer #6 · answered by Doreen A 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Of course! EVERYBODY does, especially when you're starting out! This is the toughest part of people's lives but everyone goes through it. Don't worry! In the end, things fall into place. Whatever's meant to be will be.
2006-07-25 04:09:22 · answer #7 · answered by coconut 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i am in a similiar situation. regardless of what you're qualified for and what you can find (for that price). i would strongly recommend that you rent some more and just save up so that you can afford a higher priced house. either that or get a new job where you can afford to live.
2006-07-25 04:10:32 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Buying a home can be a long and frustratig process. Are you working with a realtor? Good luck to you!
2006-07-25 04:09:28 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
85,000 is a small amt to get a decent house that's not a fixer upper. Good Luck
2006-07-25 04:10:22 · answer #10 · answered by julia4evert 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋