Property Buying Tips

One of the most important investments you will ever make is the purchase of a home. Finding the right home is exciting and can create many emotions from frustration, joy, anger, and anxiety. However, many of the negative emotions can be eliminated or minimized with the right REALTOR®.
 
 Know Your Wants and Needs
 
 Prior to embarking on your journey of San Antonio Homes for Sales, you must know what you really want and what you really need in a home. Sit down with pen and paper and list out all the features you care most about, such as:
 
 - Location (what part of San Antonio, school district or neighborhood)
 - Size - how many bedrooms and bathrooms, square footage
 - Parking – garage parking spaces, pad, RV parking, etc;
 - Style – single, 2 stories, or multi level home
 - Interior Features – Game room, media room, study, security system, water softener, etc;
 - Exterior Features – privacy fence, (pool, corner lot, cul-de-sac lot, neighborhood amenities (playground, pool clubhouse, sports court, walking trails)
 
 Equally important, on a new sheet of paper list all the features you absolutely do not want in a house. For example:
 
 - high-traffic area.
 - high noise area (airport, commercial property, or a highway in close proximity)
 - maintenance - major repairs needed
 
 As you look at houses, keep both lists in mind. Your lists may change over time as you do more looking. You'll want to add or remove features, or perhaps you'll become willing to make compromises. Realize that you may not find the "perfect" home. Some experienced homebuyers will tell you that perfect homes are not found, they are made perfect through hard work.
 
 Get Your Credit Report In Order
 
 Prior to looking at real estate, you must get your finances in order. This is the time to review your credit report and clean it up, if need be, to maximize your credit score. Many people do not realize how important it is to check your credit report periodically to make sure it is accurate. You should pay off any past due amounts, or negotiate a settlement price to close the debt. Get such agreements in writing, before paying any settlement. Keep all receipts for any settled items from your credit report since it may take months to get the debt removed.
 
 Research Your Home-Buying Options
 
 Decide what kind of real estate you're are interested in. Do you want a short-sale property, a foreclosure, new construction, pre-owned, or a property for sale by owner?
 
 There is a large number of web sites that list all of the San Antonio homes for Sale according to area, features, or price range. Visit these sites to see pictures of homes, many with virtual tours, and review the listing features.
 
 Get Pre-Approved For a Loan
 
 Get ready now to find a lender and get yourself pre-approved for the loan. Being pre-approved offers a number of advantages. It will clarify the price range you can afford. Also, once you find the home you want, you can place an immediate offer. If you have to wait for pre-approval, someone could buy the house right out from under you.
 
 A qualified lender can you help with creative financing and can help you select the right loan program to meet your needs
 
 Find a Professional Real Estate Agent
 
 It is wise for a home buyer to work closely with a real estate agent, no matter what type of property you're looking for. A knowledgeable real estate agent will make your house-hunting much easier. A professional REALTOR® is usually a great negotiator, and will be able to help you with the complicated paperwork involved in placing an offer on a house and in closing a deal.
 
 It's essential that you have a real estate agent working for you as the buyer, rather than relying on the seller's agent for the house you want to buy. The latter can involve a conflict of interest, which usually works to your disadvantage.
 
 To select a real estate agent, you should check with your friends and neighbors for recommendations. Find an agent you feel comfortable with and who is knowledgeable about the area you hope to buy in.
 
 These are just a few of the basics of home buying. You will find many details you need to master as you move through the buying process, but having these basics under your belt will give you a head start.
 
 Keywords: San Antonio Real Estate, Realtor in San Antonio Texas, San Antonio Tx Realtor, San Antonio Realtor, San Antonio Realtors, San Antonio Texas Realtors, San Antonio Homes for Sale, Realtors San Antonio, San Antonio MLS Search, San Antonio Tx Real Estate, Real Estate San Antonio