12 Tips for Buying or Selling Your Home|Rockwall TX and Surrounding Cities

Are you looking to buy or sell a home? Here are 12 Tips for Buying or Selling Your Home in Rockwall Tx and surrounding cities.

Checklist for Buyer / first step for home buying Homes for Sale Rockwall Tx

Being a first time home buyer can feel intimidating. This Checklist for Buyer / first step for buying homes for sale Rockwall Tx will help you to feel more confident as you go through your first home buying process. 

Getting Prepared

• 1. Save for a down payment. It is common to put a 20% down payment on a house. Some lenders will approve smaller down payments for first time homebuyers.
• 2. Shop around for mortgage options. Look into options for a home mortgage from a number of sources such as conventional lenders, credit unions, Federal Housing Association (FHA) secured mortgages, and the Department of Veteran Affairs.
• 3. Check your credit. Maintaining good credit during the application process for a mortgage is very important. Employ a credit freeze to avoid showing any new inquiries which can cause delays or denials.

Financing

• 1. Make a budget. It is important to determine a comfortable monthly mortgage payment amount before signing any documents.
• 2. Consider interest rates. Shop around for different interest rates to get the best deal.
• 3. Get a preapproval letter. This letter puts into writing what a lender is willing to offer based on income and debt. This may give the buyer an advantage over other buyers during the process.

Shopping Tips

• 1. Stay on budget. Keeping to a budget will help to avoid problems with making payments in the future.
• 2. Hire a real estate agent. It is important to hire an agent that is good at listening, proactive, and knowledgeable.
• 3. Attend open houses. Open houses allow for a chance to look around a house without a real estate agent hovering.

Should I buy a new or used home in Terrell Tx?

There are pros and cons to buying new and used homes in any market. Terrell is enjoying a buyer’s market at this time. The average cost of building a new home is $300,000 (not including the price of purchasing property) and the average cost of a used home in Terrell is $210,000. This is below the national average cost of $226,500 for a used home. 

Additional consideration should be given to the cost of ownership, however. New homes are usually more energy and water efficient leading to lower utility costs. Used homes are also more likely to require renovations, such as a new roof, and repairs at a higher rate than a new home. However, used homes are already situated in neighborhoods and have an existing charm. A used home with good bones could be an ongoing renovation project.

The market in Terrell points to buying a used home as the better investment. 

Why do I need a home Inspection?

Should I order a home inspection in Heath? A home inspection is a vital step in the home buying process. A home inspection will identify any existing issues with the home before closing. This will include any major damages, such as to the foundation, that could mean costly repairs shortly after purchasing the home. It will also identify potential issues and any defects in the building. A buyer that proceeds without having a home inspection is going in blind and may end up disadvantaged in the purchase agreement. 

An inspector should look at the foundation, roof, exterior of the house, garage, lawn grading, electrical work, plumbing, HVAC system, fire safety, and large appliances. A standard inspection will not look at the condition of chimneys or sewage lines but it is a good idea to hire additional inspectors for these areas if the home is more than 20 years old. 

The home inspection gives the buyer leverage in negotiating the price. Frequently, the buyer can negotiate that certain repairs be made as part of the contract or the price can be lowered to compensate for known issues requiring repair. 

Should I order a home inspection in Heath Tx?

Are you asking yourself “Should I order a home inspection in Heath Tx”? It might be tempting to skip getting a home inspection. Some home buyers are worried that ordering a home inspection makes them look like they distrust the home seller. Others are concerned about the cost of ordering the inspection. However, it is very important to get the home inspection completed before closing on the house so that you are not surprised by any damage or faults with your new home!

So Should I order a home inspection in Heath? Ordering an inspection does not imply that the home seller is untrustworthy. A home seller could be completely unaware that there is damage to the foundation, something that a home inspector will notice during the course of the inspection. Finding out about this before you close on the house gives you a chance to negotiate the home’s price with the seller. Even though the home inspection does add to the cost of buying the home it is far less expensive than walking into an unexpected home repair. 

Getting a loan/what kind of credit score do I need/ how much down payment?

Your credit score impacts your ability to finance buying a home. It will impact the amount of a down payment that a lender will require, your interest rate, and your approval rate. A rule of thumb is that the minimum credit score required to get a home loan is 625. Some lenders may accept a lower score, but the interest rate is likely to be very high as a result. It is a good idea to aim for at least 650. Pay down your existing debts, make sure you are making all of your payments on time, and avoid any new inquiries on your credit to boost your score. 

The following numbers are based on an average recommendation and may vary between lenders.

Credit Score / Minimum Down Payment

• 625-650 / 20% down payment
• 650-740 / 10% down payment
• 740 and up / as low as 3.5% down payment

Why do I need to get a loan before I shop for a house in Royse City Tx?

When you begin house hunting in earnest it is a good idea to get a pre approval offer letter from your lender. So why do I need to get a loan before I shop for a house in Royse City Tx? This will give you a budget for your house shopping as you already know what the lender is willing to offer you. The letter itself is also a written record of this offer from the prospective lender. The pre approval offer letter is not an actual loan and you are not obligated to take this offer if you choose not to. 

Having a pre approval letter will also demonstrate to a house seller that you are serious. This might give you a leg up over other buyers for several reasons. By having already begun the loan application process you will be able to make an offer on a house more quickly than a buyer that has not yet begun the process. 

What does it cost to buy a home (earnest $, option $ inspections)?

When you are preparing to buy a home it may feel like the charges and fees are endless. There are several fees that you will probably be asked to pay. 

A termination option fee is a fee that is paid from the buyer to the seller that gives the buyer the right to cancel the contract within a certain number of days from the day it is finalized. While the amount of the fee is not set it is expected to be something that is reasonable and fair to the buyer. It is paid within two days of the contract being finalized. 

Earnest money is a good faith fee paid by the buyer to the title company to demonstrate to the seller that the buyer is serious about the purchase. The title company will credit this fee to the down payment and closing costs for the buyer once the contract is finalized. The amount is agreed upon by both the buyer and the seller. 

An inspection fee is money paid to a home inspector by the buyer. While this is optional, it is recommended that all home buyers have an inspection done before they close on a home. The amount of the inspection fee will vary depending on the company that the buyer hires to perform the inspection. 

Are real estate prices negotiable in Fate TX?

Are real estate prices negotiable in Fate TX? Any real estate agent will tell you that a buyer has a lot of negotiating power especially in a buyer’s market. Sellers have usually listed their home at a higher price than they expect to get for it. More than the price tag on the home is negotiable as well. A buyer should know that they can negotiate for desire renovations and repairs to the home, closing costs, the premium cost of a year of home warranty, and the dates for closing or possession. If the buyer has something that they want it is worth trying to negotiate for it. 

Should I sell my home before buying a new home in Rowlett Tx?

Should I sell my home before buying a new home in Rowlett Tx? Whether you decide to buy a new home before selling your old home will be affected by your financial situation. Most sellers will need the money from the sale of their old home in order to make a down payment on a new home. If you are able to make a good down payment on a new home without this money then moving out of the house you are selling is a good idea as it will likely lessen the amount of time that it will take to sell. 

What is a Buyer’s Market?

A buyer’s market, also called a cool market, is one in which supply exceeds demand. The law of supply and demand states that if supply goes up and demand goes down then prices will decrease. If demand increases and supply decreases then prices will increase. If supply and demand increase or decrease in tandem then prices are impacted minimally. 

A buyer’s market in terms of real estate is one where there are more houses for sale than individuals that are buying houses. This will cause the average days on the market for a home to increase. Sellers are forced to price their houses competitively in order to attract buyers giving the advantage in price negotiation to the buyer. 

Do I need a final walk-through to sell my home in Greenville Tx?

If you are asking yourself “do I need a final walk-through to sell my home in Greenville tx” then the answer is complicated. While a final walk-through is not required it is a way for the buyer and seller to look at the home one final time to ensure that any agreed upon repairs have been completed and there has not been any damage since the offer was made. This is especially important in a home that has been vacant for any amount of time. As the seller, you do not have to insist upon a final walk-through but it is a way to put any of the buyer’s anxieties to rest and will make the closing process that much easier. 

How do I find a great real estate agent in Forney Tx

So you’re ready to start looking for your new home but you are asking “how do I find a great real estate agent in Forney tx”. Finding a real estate agent is an important step in home buying and a great one is hard to find. Here are a few steps to take that will help.

• Talk to people that have bought and sold their homes in the area.
• Research potential candidates.
• Interview more than one person.
• Ask for references and check them.
• Review the contract carefully before signing it.