Give me the 411 on buying a house.?

Question

Ok.So you find a house you like then you .......
I need to know about cheecking the house like making sure there is no problems...ok i need to know EVERYTHING ABOUT BUYING A HOUSE.

I dont need to know about financing,loans,blah blah blah
I need to know like going through the house room by room what to look for in each room .Also how many timez to go through.

Answer 1

"Gary Herbst, an exclusive buyer’s agent and principal broker of Buyer’s Edge Realty in Tarrytown, recommends these key considerations:

1. Create a needs and wish list for your new home. What are some of the things you are must have in a home and its neighborhood? Is there a certain style or age range of a home you especially like? What are some of the things you would like to have but can also forego? Do you want to live near a train station for easy access to commuting?

2. Examine the neighborhood of the home you are considering. Make sure that there are no imminent plans for commercial construction or other non-conforming adverse development that might compromise the value of the area and property.

3. Ask questions. Verify the yearly property taxes. Ask about the school system. Find out if the neighborhood is safe.

4. Look around the inside and outside of the house. Keep an eye out for leaks or seepage; unusual settlement or sagging of floors; doors and windows that do not open or close property; non-working or few electrical outlets in older homes unusual odors; moisture problems; and overall age and appearance of the heating system.

5. Double check that the information reported on the MLS (Multiple Listing Service) sheet is accurate. Oftentimes, people don’t read the “small print.” On an MLS sheet, that small print reads, “Data believed accurate but not warranted. All data subject to verification.”

6. Be sure that a professional home inspector or licensed engineer inspects the home and accompanies the inspector. An inspector will seek out and identify any potential and existing problems that might arise with the plumbing, heating, air conditioning, electrical systems, roof, foundation/structural, walls, windows, drainage or ventilation. He will also check for any safety or health-related problems and code violations. If the home has a well, septic system or a buried oil tank, those should also undergo testing. A radon test is also advised.

7. Examine room size, floor plan, and adequacy of closets/storage. Think about where your family gathers most often. Is it the kitchen? The family room? Be sure that the space can accommodate all of the traffic that will flow through it.

8. Secure a mortgage prequalification or mortgage pre-approval in order to determine how much a bank or lending institution will lend. This number is based on income, credit, assets, employment history, and other criteria. In order to determine whether the amount is feasible based on lifestyle, find out how much the monthly payment will be for the maximum amount received.

9. Ensure that the amount chosen for a down payment will leave enough for closing costs, emergencies or other expenses.

10. Be certain to hire someone to help you along the way. Remember that companies which list homes for sale represent the seller’s interests by law, not those of the buyer. Seek out an exclusive buyer’s agency, which will work 100% on the homebuyer’s behalf to find the best home. This includes evaluating property conditions, verifying property taxes, square footage, estimating fair market value, disclosing what is right and wrong with any property of interest and helping you negotiate price and terms – all while keeping your interests confidential."

Answer 2

Are you doing this without a real estate agent? If so, you want to make put an offer in writing to the seller be sure you make the purchase contingent upon a whole house inspection. You also want to be sure that you qualify for the home, so the purchase should also be contingent upon you and the property qualifying for an acceptable loan.

If you make your offer without these contingencies, then you cannot back out of the deal if you don't get financing, or if the property doesn't appraise for the sales price or if you don't like what is on the whole house inspection.

PS, unless you know a qualified contractor, make sure that you get a licensed inspector, not just a pest & dry rot inspection. That is the only way you will have all the info you need on the property.

Good luck.

Answer 3

Actually, back up...you should have already been pre-approved for a mortgage. You need to know how much you can afford, and if you are going to qualify for the loan. If not, then looking for a house is useless.

Unless, of course, you're paying cash.

But to answer your question, the next step would be to make an offer, put a contingency for inspection in there, so if you find problems you can either back out or renegotiate. Then pay for an inspection. It's well worth the money, usually only $200 or so.

Then you would simply hand the paperwork over to the mortgage company, the title company, and any possible real estate agents involved, and they get it all together for you. They will set up a closing date.

Answer 4

Contrary to what many "experts" would have you believe, it's really not that difficult to buy your home. **** What the mind can conceive, the mind can achieve ****

There are a few steps you can take BEFORE you speak with a real estate agent. An easy and useful thing to do is to browse through some websites about buying your first home. A particularly useful site is:
http://www.first-time-home-buying.net

Some other good sites are listed in this thread, and there are MANY others up there on the Internet. Even the ones that are blatantly trying to sell their services usually have nuggets of useful information.

One thing of importance: if you think you might need some down payment assistance (if, like most people, you don't have much $$$ saved) apply for grants ASAP! Down Payment Grants ARE available, many from the Federal agency HUD, but there is often quite a long "lead time" in actually receiving the funds.

More information on this topic can be found at:
http://www.first-time-home-buying.net/down-payment-grants.html

Best of luck to you.

Answer 5

Without knowing your city or state, let me tell you the general rule of operation. Most reliable realtors will know of a professional service that will inspect the home you are interested in. They will cover the house from top to bottom and check everything in between. Century 21 could be a good place to start. But what you can do for yourself, is contact one of these services and contract with them for the inspection. Expect to pay around 300 dollars for the service. If you look in the yellow pages of the city your (new) house is in, you may find in the section of General Contractors a builder who offers such a service. It will simply be titled, "Inspections." Give them a call and inquire about what they do, how they do it and do they offer any kind of a guarantee on their inspection.

Answer 6

do inspections. i just bought a house and it was so stressful but its gonna be worth it. get a good qualified inspector to look over every inch in the house. also you want to have a radon inspection if there is a basement in your house. if you have already put in an offer and they accepted, make sure you read the purchase agreement because if there is something wrong that the sellers need to fix you have to notify them in writing within a certain amount of time, so you definitely want to get that done on time so your not stuck making all the repairs. get an attorney to read over the purchase agreement and the contracts before you sign, attorneys can be expensive but well worth it so you know your not literally signing your life away. your attorney will be able to assist you with questions too, very helpful.

Answer 7

Is it possible 2 know all about a house? Hire Buyer broker/ realtor do not rely on Seller Broker 2 protect ur interests. Lawyer search title clear of all liens. Inspect house - bank not seller. 1st time buy bank program. Course @ bank, home agency - HAP, HUD, etc. fill out all forms 4 Mortgage pre- approval, b4 c banker/ realtor. Bank programs ex, "soft 2nd mortgage." Certificate eligible low rate from bank / HAP/ HUD. Co-borow? finance close cost? How much down & monthly cost PITI. Do U really want 2 live there? Ask !

Answer 8

Well, you got appraisers, inspectors, attorneys..... lions and tigers and bears oh my! It sounds like a lot but I seemed to get through it without being very prepared. Everything follows course, but yes a realtor is very handy.

Here's a helpful article on making a profitable buy:
http://www.foreclosure.com/articlecenter.html?action=displayArticle&articleId=1042&isLatest=false

Answer 9

Get a BUYERS Realtor. Have them have the house inspected by a professional, check for liens, prequalify you for a loan. They know what is required.

Answer 10

get the house inspected by a professional home inspector he/she will tell you all the things that need attention and even give you an idea of what it could cost to fix.