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House Buying Checklist
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Be an informed buyer. There are over 200 pages of information here as well
as links to much more information. Numerous guides are available on specific subjects. Our Bookstore had additional recommended
reading. Gather as much information as you can. You can keep up-to-date by subscribing to our free newsletter and by visiting
the What's New
page. |
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Buying your first
home? See the page devoted to first time home buying. |
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Familiarize yourself with the mortgage process. Have mortgage questions? Need a few
mortgage tips? See the sections devoted to those subjects. |
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Get Pre-Approved before you
look for a home and shop with the power of a cash buyer. Quicken Loans is one of the
nation's largest home mortgage lenders and was named "Best of the Web" by Forbes, Money and PC magazines.
Quicken Loans offers over 100 loan programs and can tailor
a program to fit your exact needs. Their process is quick and easy. You can apply online in minutes. You
can even sign your application and track the process of your loan online.
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Get your financial
picture in focus as soon as possible. Since it is an important
component, be aware of your credit situation.  You can get
a free copy of your credit report at ConsumerInfo.com. Having
your credit report in hand makes it much easier to decide which way to proceed. More information. |
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The best time to work on your budget is before you move. Want to maximize your financial picture? See the section devoted to
budget hints. |
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Wondering about how much time is needed to buy a home? See the sample homebuying timeline. |
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Find an Agent
that you trust. It is important to do this before you go rushing off looking for homes or you may end up with no
representation. See the Agency and Buyer
Agent pages for important discussions regarding "who represents
who." Looking to find an Agent? Click here to choose an Agent in your area.
You can compare backgrounds, experience and more. Thinking about doing it on your own? See the section on buying on your own
for hints and tips. |
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Determine your housing needs and wants to determine what types
of houses you should be considering. |
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Familiarize yourself with the various types of housing available:
Single family,
townhouse,
and condo. |
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If you are planning on buying or building a new home, see our section devoted
to building a
house
including house building tips, resources and how
to find a contractor. |
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Have general questions about buying a home? See the questions homebuyers ask page. |
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Still have a question about a Real Estate term or its definition? See our
Real Estate Glossary. A question on a mortgage term? See the Mortgage Glossary. |
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House Hunting Time! First, see the article devoted to finding the right home. Then,
make a scorecard for each house to help you keep track of the properties you've seen. |
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Familiarize yourself with how
to set a value on a house. This can save you a great deal of
time and helps to avoid disappointment. |
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When you find an acceptable house, write an offer. Familiarize yourself
with how offers become contracts. Need examples of offers and contracts available for your state? See FIndLegalForms.com |
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Negotiate
your best deal using the information you have acquired. |
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If you haven't already done so, make a mortgage loan request. |
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Arrange for home
inspection. Protect yourself and do not skip this step! |
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Learn about home
warranties and what they cover. |
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Compare and secure homeowners
insurance. Since homeowners insurance is a long term expense,
getting the best deal here brings savings that continue. |
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Arrange for closing agent or attorney. Make all final preparations for closing. |
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Make moving
plans. If you plan to use a moving company, make comparisons
and reserve time now. |
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Secure final loan approval and commitment from the lending institution.
If you have done your "up-front" work, this should be one of your easiest steps. |
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Do a final walk
through of the house. |
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Final closing
and settlement. |
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Let us know what you liked or disliked about this
web site! |
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Move to your new home and begin enjoying it--you deserve it! |