Best Tips For Buying Houston Texas Home

Posted by Jeri Maito
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Do you want to buy a house in Houston Texas, or the surrounding area?  If so, you come to the right place.

It doesn't matter if you’re buying a home in 2017-2018, or you’ve purchased a home before in the past, when buying a home there’s always going to be things to learn.

Thankfully, you can get up to speed with the learning process and have the advantage over other buyers who are searching for homes in the Houston Texas Real Estate Market with the best home buying advice in this article.  

Start Saving Money For A Down Payment Now

Although you may be planning on buying property six months to 1 year from now, the reality is that regardless of when you plan on making your home purchase you should start saving for a down payment NOW.

This tip is important because most Realtors will tell you that you have to have a down payment of at least 20% to purchase a home and most people are unable to come up with that kind of cash quickly.

Yes, there are several home buying programs out there that will allow you to put down as little as 3% to purchase a home but a low down payment also means that you may be increasing your monthly costs since you will have to pay mortgage insurance.

Set Up A Budget

While you’re saving money for a down payment on a home the next important thing that you should do before making a home purchase is to work on a budget so you will know how much of a home price you can really afford.

To do this you should add up your monthly bills and expenses then use a home buying calculator online to determine how much of the mortgage payment you could safely make every single month while continuing to pay your regular expenses.

Review Your Credit Score Now

Another important thing that you want to do before searching for a Houston Texas home for sale is to check your credit score.

Thankfully, you can easily check your credit score online for free using a wide variety of resources so it's best to review your score now especially so that you can verify that there are no fraudulent charges under your name which may have been made in the past.

Put Plans For Major Purchases On Hold, At Least For Now

Let's say that you plan on leasing a new car or buying some expensive equipment within the coming months before you purchase a home.

Although you may be excited about making these purchases, the reality is that you should delay them because leasing or financing new purchases will increase your debt-to-income (DTI) ratio and this may make it more difficult for you to qualify for a mortgage loan.

Can’t Save For A Down Payment? Explore Down Payment Assistance Options

Are You struggling with coming up with a down payment to purchase a home? If so, you should take the time to research all of your down payment assistance options because, there are a wide variety of programs which will enable you to buy a home with a low-down payment, or you may qualify for a separate down payment assistance loan.

You Have To Save Money For Closing Costs

One of the biggest mistakes that most home buyers have made in the past is not budgeting for closing costs.

What are closing costs?

These are expenses such as home inspections, title searches, and homeowner’s insurance. Yes, you can ask the seller to pay closing costs but, you should have at least 5% of your loan amount saved for closing costs if the seller is unable to pay them.

Besides saving money for closing costs, you should also save money to use after you move into your home to help cover the cost of things like new furnishings, paint, fixtures, appliances, and all other personal touches that you may want to make sure you're home after you move in.

Get Clear About The Home You Want To Buy

Last of all, the most important, you should get clear about the home you want to buy.

Do you want: A 3-bedroom, 2 bath single-family home, townhome in a new community, condo or an Apartment?

Is privacy important to you? Do you only want to view properties that are within a distance to your job or the services that you use on a regular basis?

It's important to be clear on the type of phone that you're searching for because this will also make your real estate agent's job a whole lot easier since they will be able to narrow down the search criteria and only show you homes would be the perfect fit for you and your family.

Once you’re clear on the type of home you want to buy it’s also important to determine if you want to live in well-maintained communities or Houston Real Estate that’s located in the country.

Whatever you decide, our team of great Real Estate agents will show you properties which match your search terms. This will save you a lot of time and guarantee that you will be able to purchase a home, accomplish your Real Estate goals, and move in within your chosen timeframe.

Search for Housing in Houston Texas

To get started with searching for homes in Houston Texas, or the surrounding area, contact me today by calling 281-814-5856 or click here to connect with me online.

You can also learn more about me by clicking here to view my about us page, find me on Facebook, Twitter, Google, or most other social media website.

Categories: Housing MarketGeneralEducation
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Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this blog are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the HRIS.
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