Seattle First Time Home Buyer
The Road Map To Your Seattle Home!
**Free first time home buyer seminar**
1. Narrowing the Search
If you don't know where you're going...you'll probably end up somewhere else." Taken from a book title, this quote conveys a very simple message: To achieve an objective, create a plan!
If you plan to buy a Seattle home soon, you will need to know "where you are going." For a most enjoyable home-buying experience, first build a road map to your new home, a list of priorities that will lead you to your objective--a Seattle Home!
A1. The first priority is time frame.
Write down the date by which you would like to move into your Seattle Home:_________
Keep in mind that it might take 30-90 days (or more) to locate the right home. Then it will take another 30-45 days to secure financing and complete the home-buying process. For information regarding loans go to financing your home.
1b. Determine how much home you can afford. If you can only afford a certain amount and that price is at the level of a 1 bedroom condo then looking at houses will be a waste of your time and very disappointing. To understand how much of a loan you should get go to How much home can you afford to get an estimate of the home price range you should be in.
1c. The next priority is to develop a detailed description of the Seattle home you hope to find. Go to the page containing a Home Search Criteria form to help you distinguish between "Need to Have" features and "Have to Have" features. Be specific. Include architectural styles, number of bedrooms and baths, location, lot size and other special requirements. Number your preferences in order of greatest importance to you. Please do this step separately from your spouse because it will help you understand each others needs and wants.
2. Search the Internet. Find out what the Seattle neighborhoods are about and what price ranges they tend to be in. As a general rule the closer you are to the city the higher the price and the closer to the water, Puget Sound and Lake Washington, the higher the price. You can search our Free Seattle MLS to determine the prices of Seattle homes for sale.
3. Narrow Your Home Search. Contact Dave Hanson or call him at 206-686-7525 for this important step. He will take this information and enter your requirements into the NWMLS (Northwest Multiple Listing Service) system, and then use personal market knowledge to come up with a list of homes that best meets your needs and wants.
4. Get e-mail notification of new listings that come on the market. You can get the "Hot List" sent to you via e-mail of homes that best meet your criteria. This is up to the minute information of homes from all the different real estate companies directly from the NWMLS.
**Get the Hot list of Available Seattle Homes!**
5. Get the book "Your First Home: A Proven path to Home Ownership" . It is full of great stories and will help you see how great it is to own a home and how you can accomplish it with ease. Order your FREE copy today!!
6. Find a Realtor. You can contact Dave Hanson or call 206-686-7525 and he will be able to help navigate you to buy the best home for the best price. You can also find realtors at open houses, referrals from friends and families members or call your local real estate office.
Here is what your real estate agent should do for you:
- Discuss the benefits and drawbacks for each home in relation to your specific needs.
- Keep you informed on a regular basis.
- Check the MLS database and talk with other brokers regularly for new listings.
- Prepare a list of all homes that best meet your needs and wants.
- Keep you up to date on changing financial conditions that may affect the housing market.
- Be available to answer your questions or offer assistance regarding your home purchase.
- Discuss market trends and values relative to properties that interest you.
Click on the picture to get your complimentary copy today!