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Finding the right home
You should check out lots of sources for possible homes
to look at. An agent will be able to help you with listed property from
the MLS, multiple listing service, where the majority of agents place
their listings. They should furnish you with an initial list and then
with periodic updates.
Other sources of potential homes include word of mouth;
for sale signs; advertisements in local papers, homes magazines and
penny savers; for sale by owners, Internet sites and open houses. What
is important is that you see enough homes to develop a comfort level
(gut feel) for the market.
Before you set up a time to go through any home, do a
drive-by to check out the curb appeal and exterior condition of the home
and the general neighborhood and location. Is it a convenient drive to
work, school, shopping and entertainment? Once you have found one or
more homes that look good on paper and from the street, then set up an
appointment to see the inside of the homes.
Your initial inspection is done to eliminate homes that
don’t meet your needs. Once you have done a preliminary inspection, set
up another inspection of those homes that appealed to you the best. This
could be one or two or more depending on how many homes you started
with. In areas that are a strong seller’s market with few homes
available, your choices may be few. Always try to go through a home at
least twice before making an offer. You will see different things each
time you go through a home. However, in a hot market with homes going
fast, you may be able to only see a home once and then need to make an
immediate decision so that you don’t miss out on a home.
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