Top 5 Mistakes of Charlotte North Carolina Homebuyers [Buyers Remorse]

Top 5 Mistakes of Charlotte North Carolina Homebuyers [Buyers Remorse]

We’ve all been there, scrolling through Instagram or Facebook and an advertisement pops up and what do you do? An impulse purchase, and you end up regretting it and feeling buyers remorse. We all can probably live with that on a smaller purchase, but if we buy a house and have buyers remorse, that is a whole other ball game. 

A study by Homelight, conducted in 2022 found that more than 70% of people who purchased homes (between 2020-2022 in the United States) had at least 1 regret about their home purchase. In this video and article we will review the top 5 regrets these buyers felt about their home purchase. We’ll also give you some ideas on ways to keep from having those same regrets when you go to buy a home.  

 

A study by Homelight, conducted in 2022 found that more than 70% of people who purchased homes (between 2020-2022 in the United States) had at least 1 regret about their home purchase. In this video and article we will review the top 5 regrets these buyers felt about their home purchase. We’ll also give you some ideas on ways to keep from having those same regrets when you go to buy a home. Here’s the top 5 regrets: 

 

1. I feel that I overpaid for my home.

2. I under estimated how much maintenance a home requires.

3. I feel that I decided which home to buy too quickly.

4. I under estimated the total cost of owning a home.

5. I wish the layout of the home was more conducive to my lifestyle.

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1. I feel that I overpaid for my home

Once rates went up, around the middle of 2022, prices began to fall. In January, the average home price fell by 16% since the peak of June 2022. This data could make people second guess their recent home purchase, even if they secured a 2.5-3.5% mortgage rate. However, over the long run home prices tend to rebound and increase.  Since January home prices have rebounded and have passed the peak of 2022. As of May 2023, the average home price in the Charlotte area has increased 11% from the average home price in May 2022. Warren Buffet always says, “Time in the market always beats timing the market.” 

 

 

How to avoid overpaying for a home:

 

So how do you prevent overpaying for a home? Well first of all make sure you have an agent who understands the real estate market. Does the realtor that you’re working with have a deep understanding of the housing market and overall economy? Are they able to properly identify acceptable home price? Does your realtor shoot educational videos and blogs like this one? Do they take time to educate the public on the market?  Do they take time to educate you? 

It’s important to have an expert that keeps a close eye on the pulse of the market. An agent who does a lot of business will have a better, more realistic picture of the overall market. Your realtor should be able to advise you properly, to make sure you’re not overpaying for a home. No one can know for sure if the market will go up or go down, however there are many leading indicators that you can pay close attention to that will help you make an educated decision on what to offer on your dream home.

 

If you’re curious if now is, in fact, the right time for you to purchase a home, then you’re in luck! We put together an entire blog/video answering that very question: 

 

Click Below to view:

Is NOW a good time to buy a house in Charlotte? Or WAIT for the bottom?

 Prices and rates are high and you want to make sure you don’t stretch yourself too much to where you become house poor. You don’t want to be living on canned food and ramen noodles just to get into a home.  

 

Selling A House Shouldn’t be Stressful

There is a pro-active way to sell your home that gets results

2. I under estimated how much Maintenance a home requires.

If you’ve never owned a home before you may not understand the cost of maintaining a home. There’s a lot that goes into keeping a home up. Here’s just a few things you may need to budget for:

      1. Lawn care
      2. Cosmetic items like paint and flooring
      3. Minor repairs like a leaky toilet or replacing a lightbulb
      4. Major repairs like replacing a roof or HVAC unit

There’s no more calling the landlord anymore, these repairs would fall on you to take care of. These items can add up quickly and end up costing you an arm and a leg! After doing a little research, we were able to find that many experts say that you should budget, on average, about 1% of the value of your home for yearly repairs. So for a $500,000 home, you would want to budget $5,000 a year.

Of course it depends on the age of the home and the age of different components like the HVAC, roof, and water heater. On a $500,000 home, this means you would want to save about $416 a month for any possible issues or repairs. You would want to have this as a budgeted item and set that money aside for a rainy day (possibly quite literally).

How to avoid being surprised with costly repairs: 

 

There’s a ton of research you can, prior to closing on your new home, to fully understand a homes condition. Even if you’re buying a brand new home, we always recommend hiring a licensed home inspector to inspect the home. You can also obtain a termite inspection, well/septic inspection, pool inspection, radon inspection, mold inspection, HVAC inspection, etc. The more research you do prior to the home closing, the better prepared you will be for the future. Getting a licensed professional to inspect the home is also a great way to identify any major issues with the home. Major issues can affect the homes overall value, and its good to know these items up front. 

Also, even if the HVAC works and there are no leaks in the roof, know the average life expectancy is around 15-20 years. So if the HVAC or roof is around 15-17 years old, you may want to budget a bit more to eventually replace them.  

Spending a little bit extra money up front and doing a little research can save you tens of thousands of dollars down the line. It will also help you create your monthly repair budget !

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3. I feel that I decided which home to buy too quickly.

Keep in mind, this survey was completed in February 2022, looking back 2 years prior.  This was when the market was crazy, multiple offers were the norm. It was more likely a home was in a very competitive “highest and best” multiple offer scenario than not.  Buyers were rushing to buy and lock in their mortgage rate before they rose. This euphoria forced many buyers to make quick decisions.  

Now fast forward to today, what can you do to make sure you don’t have to make a quick/hasty decision? 

How to avoid feeling pressured into making a quick decision: 

If you’re looking for a home in a highly desirable area, the area with good schools, anywhere from $400,000 to $1,000,000 than you may still experience a multiple offer situation, where you still may have to make a quick decision. Especially, if it is a very nice, well kept, and renovated home. 

This is why it’s important to take some time, before you even look at homes, and put together a thorough needs vs. wants list (see step #5). If you know exactly what you need in a home, before you begin your home search, you will be able to quickly identify if a home fits your needs. So when you find yourself in a pressured, competitive, situation you know that the home will fit you and your families needs!

Recently, we’ve seen many buyers experience “sticker shock” when they begin their home search. They thought they could have all of the things they want for $750,000. But, after seeing the market and prices, their expectations didn’t meet reality. So, when this happens, its important to re-adjust your expectations to fit in your budget. This will help you make sure you don’t make a decision you regret and put you and your family into a difficult financial position. 

Now, there are many properties in this market that will not have a immense amount of competition from home buyers. In these cases, you may not be in a bidding war with other buyers. You may find less competition if you’re looking for a property a bit further outside the Charlotte, North Carolina area, maybe a place that doesn’t have the best schools. You will find less competition on the homes that need a little work or are a bit outdated. These homes may not be high pressure situations, which means you don’t have to make a quick decision. You may have more options and a day or two to sleep on it, or even a 2nd showing.  

 

I often tell my clients: “If you find that perfect home and you sleep on it, you may not sleep in it.” Which is true, you never know when another offer is coming in. But, I definitely don’t want you to sleep in it for the next 5-10 years and be unhappy. So make sure you know what you’re looking for and be okay with saying NO.

 

4. I underestimated the total cost of owning a home. 

Owning a home can be costly! You aren’t just responsible for the mortgage payment, there’s other requirements involved. You’re also responsible for property taxes, insurance, and other fees. You have to pay property taxes, no matter what. In Mecklenburg county, where we help many buyers and sellers, the property tax is 61.69 cents per $100 of the homes tax value. If you’re looking in South Carolina there are two different tax rates, one for primary occupants and one for non primary occupants. This small difference can make a HUGE difference in your property tax obligation. These are things you want to make sure you understand prior to purchasing the home.

 

If you have a mortgage, your property taxes will be escrowed. Your mortgage lender will take a small amount every month to pay your taxes and homeowners insurance on your behalf once a year. If this is the case you don’t have to budget for these, they will be included in your mortgage. 

When you’re shopping for homeowners insurance you should do your homework. The #1 mistake I see homebuyers make is that they don’t talk to a professional insurance agent right from the start. Right when your offer is accepted you should begin talking to homeowners insurance representatives. This will give you time to make sure there are no historical losses or claims that have never been fixed. You’ll also have more time to obtain a better idea of what type of insurance is best for you to cover those emergencies. This is very important in case anything happens, you’ll have the right insurance to cover it.

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5. I wish the layout of the home was more conducive to my lifestyle.

You finally get into your new house, get settled in, and a couple months later you  realize that something’s just not right. The home just doesn’t have the space you need to accommodate your lifestyle. This can easily be a home buyers worst nightmare. How do you prevent this from happening?

When first meeting with our clients we take much more time up front to help our clients identify what’s truly important to them in a home. We always recommend our client take time to complete a needs vs. wants exercise. This helps them put whats most important into perspective.  

 

Needs vs. Wants exercise: 

So what’s the needs vs. wants exercise? Its very simple! You take a white sheet of paper; at the very top of the left side you write “Needs,” and at the very top of the right side you write “Wants.” I always recommend each spouse completes this exercise separately. Once complete you can come back together and compare notes. This will help get both peoples opinions and discover whats most important. 

 

So, what are wants and what are needs? 

Needs:

Needs are MUST have’s. These items that, if not present, you won’t even look at the home. For example, if you have to have a 4 bedroom due to a certain # of children or you work from home and you need a home office. If this is the case, share this with your agent and tell them to not show you anything with less than 4 bedrooms. 

Or, if you need a primary on the main level due to health concerns then you can eliminate any home that doesn’t have a primary on the main level. 

The needs list should be pretty short, the wants list can be longer. 

Wants:

Wants are fun! This can be used as your wish list. Wants are items that you don’t absolutely need, but if it was in a home it would be a plus!

Many times we have clients say they want a primary on the main level. Then we start looking at homes and find that, in their price range,  we’re not finding any home that they like with a primary on the main level. If this is in the wants column, we know we can start looking at other homes with a primary bedroom upstairs. 

You can have as long of a wants as you’d like!

 

 

Spending a little bit more time upfront and doing your homework will give you a MUCH better idea on what you absolutely have to have in a home to make you happy. It will also help you identify items you’d like to have in a home. Once you have completed your needs vs. wants list, make sure to share this list with your realtor!

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Is NOW a good time to buy a house in Charlotte? Or WAIT for the bottom?

Is NOW a good time to buy a house in Charlotte? Or WAIT for the bottom?

Today, we will answer the #1 question that almost everyone is asking our real estate team.  Is now a good time to buy a house in Charlotte? 

You might think the answer is obvious, right? There is a potential recession coming in 2023, mortgage applications have dropped to 25 year lows, and buyers affordability has diminished this year. To top that all off, we just had ANOTHER interest rate hike from the Federal Reserve.

So isn’t it obvious? You shouldn’t buy, right? Well, maybe, maybe not. In this article we’re going to be digging a bit deeper than just the headlines. We will take a look at the actual sales data, economic trends, and some basic principles that will help guide you to a good decision for your personal situation.

Is NOW a Good Time To Buy A House In Charlotte? 

 The reality is that some of you should absolutely not be investing in real estate right now.  But, there’s also some of you who should be taking action right now and buying property. 

To answer the question of “Is NOW a good time to buy a house in Charlotte?” we will want to consider a couple important details like your personal financial situation and your job security.

In this article we will cover:

1. Who shouldn’t be buying a house right now?

2. Who should be buying a house right now?

3. Why waiting for the market to “Bottom” is a bad idea. 

 

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Who shouldn't be buying a house right now?

1. Who shouldn’t be buying a house right now?

Homeownership has long been the American dream. A picturesque house of your own with a bright green lawn is deeply ingrained in our culture as something to aspire to. It has helped generations of homeowners build wealth that has been passed down to their children and their children’s children. However, for some of us out there, now may not be a good time to purchase a home. 

A. If you have to stretch yourself financially

If you have to stretch yourself financially, you absolutely shouldn’t be buying a home right now. Think about it, we’ve been experiencing record high inflation right now. If inflation continues at even 4, 5, or 6% in 2023 and your wage doesn’t also increase by 4, 5, or 6% to match those. extra costs then it just means you’re going to feel even more stretched. You don’t want to be “House Poor.”

Rapid inflation

B. If you’re facing any job insecurity

If you have any job insecurity right now, that would be the 2nd reason you wouldn’t want to purchase a property right now. Many experts are predicting that we could see layoffs and higher unemployment in 2023. If you lose your job and are forced to sell in the next 6 to 9 months then you will be in a compromising position. It doesn’t matter if prices don’t come down. Even if they go up a little bit, or stay the same, you could lose thousands of dollars. 

The cost of moving is very expensive and you would be faced with different fee’s and expenses. You can experience mortgage fee’s, you will have to pay movers, and you will be subject to fees associated with agents commissions, lawyers, taxes, etc. These fee’s can add up to 5 to 10% of the value of your property. That’s not something you want to be facing when the economic outlook can potentially be leading towards a recession. 

How much does it cost to sell a house? 

If you are considering selling your home and would like to know how much it ACTUALLY costs to sell your home, then check out our article: Selling your home: How much does it cost to sell a house?  We specifically outline all of the expenses, fee’s, and costs you could experience when selling your home.

Selling A House Shouldn’t be Stressful

There is a pro-active way to sell your home that gets results

C. If you’re not ready, don’t rush

It seems like every time you turn on the news, they are talking about the recession coming in 2023.  It’s probably the most anticipated recession that’s ever been announced. It’s kind of like we penciled it in.  

So, if we are headed into an economic recession, and you still want to invest in real estate BUT you are not quite ready, DON’T RUSH.  Use this time to prepare yourself to make a much better decision a little bit further down the road. 

If you’re not ready, how should you prepare?

Here’s what I would be doing to prepare myself:

1. The first thing I would do is hop on a bit of a budget. 

2. Lower some of your unneeded expenses (Netflix, Starbucks, things you may not need).

3. Start saving as much as you can and build up an emergency fund. 

4. Pick up a “Side Hustle” to earn some extra cash.

5. Pay off as much debt as you can. 

I know that’s not the sexiest advice, but its the truth.

Anything you can do to prevent yourself from making a hasty, or quick, decision means you will likely put yourself in a better financial position down the road. If you can reduce your expenses, pay off debt, and save more money you will increase your debt to income ratio have a larger down payment.  This could lead you to getting better rates and terms in the future, when you are ready to purchase a home.

 

Budget

The Charlotte labor market is strong!

When it comes to Job insecurity, we do have some great news. The Charlotte NC job market is still very strong. Even if we see higher unemployment rates, and more job loss throughout the US, we will be more insulated from these effects in the greater Charlotte NC area.

So, being in the Charlotte area, you may be in a position to get a better job with better income. This will give you more permanence during uncertain times. 

 

Selling A House Shouldn’t be Stressful

There is a pro-active way to sell your home that gets results

Who should be buying a house right now?

2. Who should be buying a house right now?

If you are someone who has strong job security, low debt levels, and will not be over extended by a home purchase then now may be a great time for you to buy a home. Here are a few reasons why:

1. Rent prices have skyrocketed: Rental rates in the US and in Charlotte have skyrocketed over the past year, which means that purchasing a home may be more attractively priced than renting a home right now. 

2. House prices have fallen: Pricing is a lot more affordable than it was just 6 months ago. Even in the Charlotte area, we have seen around an 9% decrease in the price of homes in some areas. So you may be able to get into a home at a much better price.

3. Home buyers can now negotiate: Due to the economic trends, there are fewer buyers in the marketplace. This means you will be able to negotiate much favorable terms and can potentially get the home at a much better price.  Home buyers are now able to request the seller to pay for closing costs, request a home sale contingency, or other favorable terms!

4. Charlotte’s Booming: The fundamentals we see here in Charlotte NC are still very strong.  The job growth is still robust, there are a ton of people moving to the greater Charlotte area every day, and the average cost of living is still very attractively priced compared to other metropolitan areas.

Skyrocketing rent prices

So, if you are thinking of making a move, and are in a good position to do so: Don’t worry!  You’re not alone! We have so many people moving to the greater Charlotte area because of the affordability, the high paying jobs, and the great things to do, that we should be insulated from the worst effects of any recession.

It is true, over the past few months the Charlotte real estate market has softened, but not nearly as much as the United States real estate market as a whole.  Inventory is still very low in the greater Charlotte area and we are still selling many of our listings in just a couple of days. 

These are the ingredients that will keep Charlotte insulated from the worst effects from this potential economic downturn we may see in 2023. 

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Why waiting for the market to bottom is a bad idea

3. Why waiting for the market to “Bottom” is a bad idea. 

For those of you on the sidelines, waiting on the real estate market to “bottom,” you may have issues with this strategy. The problem with this is, even if you were able to predict the prices perfectly and they did go down, you’re not going to be able to call the bottom. The reason is, housing is a lagging indicator. This means the data that you would use to indicate we hit the bottom happened 3 to 4 months ago. By the time you knew to act, it would already be too late.  

And if you were able to overcome all of that then you would probably lack the courage to act. It’s not because of something you’re doing wrong, it’s just in our nature. Once we hit the “bottom” we will have peak fear, uncertainty, and doubt. The headlines and news will be so bleak the last thing you will want to do is step into the housing market and make a purchase.

Selling A House Shouldn’t be Stressful

There is a pro-active way to sell your home that gets results

There is also an opportunity costs for waiting on the sidelines. While you’ve been waiting on the sidelines, waiting for the bottom, you will be paying those record high rental rates rather than paying that money towards your own equity, in your new home. 

The far better strategy than “trying to time the market” is “time in the market” because no one knows exactly what’s going to happen in the future. One thing we do know though, the longer you do own real estate as an asset, the more likely it is that you will see great returns.

 

We know that all of our clients are looking to accomplish different goals on different timelines. If you are curious if NOW is the right time for you to make a move, we would love to sit down with you and discuss your personal situation and see if now is in fact a good time to sell. Feel free to call, text, or email us today! 

Contact us through:

📱Call/Text Direct (704)-631-3977

📧Email: info@thefinigangroup.com

💻Website: www.thefinigangroup.com

If you are considering selling your home, make sure you choose the best Realtor. Watch this video to make sure you are asking your potential realtor the RIGHT questions:  10 Questions You Must Ask Your Realtor Before Hiring Them. 

 

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Charlotte NC Housing Market Update [November 2022]

Charlotte NC Housing Market Update [November 2022]

Stay up to date on the Charlotte NC Housing Market

Charlotte, NC home prices have dropped by 8% since June! The Charlotte housing market is seeing increased inventory, days on market, and price drops! Today, Josh will discuss the Charlotte real estate market, and review the changes we are seeing in real time. Join Josh as he lays out what happened in the Charlotte housing market and what that can mean for buyers and sellers going forward.

Will the interest rates crash the Charlotte, NC housing market? What can we expect for Charlotte moving forward? Josh explains how interest rates and other factors are effecting the Charlotte, NC housing market.

1. Market Overview
2. Number of New Listings
3. Number of Pending Listings
4. Number of Closed Homes
5. Average Sales Price
6. Charlotte NC Housing Market Predictions 

Find out how much your house is worth!

Since June, home prices in Charlotte, NC have fallen by 8%. Inventory in Charlotte has increased due to the economic factors and mortgage rates. Remember the rule of thumb, for ever 1% change in mortgage rates, affects a buyers purchasing power by 10%.

 

With that being said, we are coming off one of the strongest sellers market’s we have ever seen (We are still in a sellers market)!  So, even though inventory has increased and prices have fallen, historically, it’s still a great time to sell.  

Find out how much your house is worth!

2. Number of New Listings

In November, 1017 new listings hit the market, which was an 18% decrease from the number of new listings in October 2022.  We saw a 23% decrease in the amount of new listings year over year. 

We have continuously seen the number of new listings decrease.  Now, this can partly be due to seasonal trends (fewer people choose to list their home in the 4th quarter). However, we can see that the year over year trends add to the story. Most homeowners in the United States have a mortgage rate under 5% (many around 2-3.5%) , which could be persuading them to not make a move. If a homeowner wants to move, they would need to purchase a home at a much higher interest rate.   

3. Number of Pending Sales

In November 870 homes in Charlotte, NC accepted an offer. This was a 4% decrease from October 2022 & a 36% decrease from the amount of homes that accepted an offer in 2021.  

 

Fewer homes listed = Fewer homes accepting offer’s.

 

One of the biggest leading indicators for the housing market is the number of new listings compared to number of pending sales. If the number of new listings outpace the number of pending sales, then we can expect the inventory of homes for sale will increase. This means that there will be more homes avaliable and buyers will have more homes to choose from. If the number of new listings continues, then you can expect for the market to eventually transition to a buyers market. The number of new listings have outpaced the number of pending homes since February 2022.

 

4. Number of Closed Homes

In November 847 homes closed in Charlotte, which was a 20% decrease from October 2022 & a 45% decrease from November 2021. 

The number of closed homes is a lagging indicator. Since we have seen fewer newer listings and fewer pending homes, we can expect to see the number of closed homes to be lower. 

5. Average Sales Price

The average sales price in November was $487,000, which was a 2% decrease from October 2022.  The average home sales price rose 11% since November 2021. 

It seems that the average sales price in Charlotte, NC peaked in June.  Since June, we have seen the average price fall by 8%.

Even though Charlotte has seen an average home price drop of 8% since June, we still see a VERY healthy year over year appreciation of 11%.  Charlotte is also outpacing the United States as a whole. The United States is only seeing a year over year appreciation of 2%, which means we may see this invert to the negative in the coming months.  

Even thought the Charlotte, NC housing market has soften, we are still outperforming the United States as a whole. The economic factors + mortgage rates will affect everywhere, however some cities will be affected more than others. 

6. Charlotte, NC Housing Market Predictions 

Surging mortgage rates have put some much needed pressure on the hot housing market in recent months after home prices hit record highs across the nation. 

The overall housing supply remains limited, as those who purchased homes in recent years at extremely low mortgage rates are staying put. This has kept inventory lower than what we could have expected.   

We may continue to see a softening market as the Federal Reserve continues to raise interest rates. The Federal reserve’s main goal is to get inflation below 2%.  There have recently been a few positive signs that inflation is starting to slow, this could lead to a more ‘dovish’ Federal Reserve.  

The Federal Reserve will meet again Dec 13th & Dec 14th.  Right now, they are expected to scale back to a 50 basis point hike. Once they get inflation to ‘acceptable’ levels, we may see the Fed hold interest rates at a certain level for most of 2023, extending into 2024. 

 

Strong demand for the Charlotte area will insulate us from experiencing as severe of a downturn as many other areas in the United States. Charlotte, NC is rapidly growing, which is attracting people from across the states and even internationally. There’s an influx of buyers from California, Chicago, New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut.

For home sellers

The market has softened from the peaks we saw in Q1 & Q2, however we are coming off the best time in history to sell a home.  You are still seeing double digit year over year price appreciation. Charlotte, NC is still in a sellers market, and will likely remain in a sellers market for some time.  

Will you see more competition on the market? yes.  

If you are looking to sell, you will need to make sure you have the right marketing strategy and pricing strategy.  

For home buyers

Buyers purchasing power has been decimated this year. Housing affordability nationwide is the worst it has ever been on record due to spiking home prices and interest rates, Bloomberg reports. 

However, if you are in the market to purchase a home, you will find more avaliable homes to choose from. You may find you can negotiate more on the sales price and other terms. You could ask the seller to pay for your closing costs and/or a home warranty.

Strong strategies for buyers:

1. Ask for the seller to pay for your closing costs, and use the closing cost concession to “buy down” your mortgage rate.

2. If you have a home to sell, you can make an offer contingent on your home selling. Home sale contingencies have been almost impossible over the past few years, however, with the market softening more sellers are open to accepting a home sale contingency. 

Is It a right time for you to buy or sell? 

It really depends on what you are looking to accomplish, your goals, and your timeline. We would love to connect with you, discuss your real estate goals and help you determine if now is a good time to buy/sell or if it is better to wait. Feel free to call us, text us, or email us.  We would love to be your real estate resource of choice! 

 

Contact us through:

📱Call/Text Direct (704)-631-3977

📧Email: info@thefinigangroup.com

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Contact us today

Buying a home in Charlotte? 3 things you must do before you start your search!

Buying a home in Charlotte? 3 things you must do before you start your search!

It can be frustrating to be a first-time homebuyer if you aren’t prepared. Here are 3 tips from The Finigan Group on how to find your dream home-without losing your mind.

1. Get Pre-Approved for a Mortgage Before You Start

Know what you can afford before you start your search. By getting a pre-approval letter, you demonstrate to sellers that you are serious when you write your offer and it proves you can afford the home.

 

Benefits Of Preapproval

Some of the benefits of getting preapproved include:

  • You know exactly how much home you can afford. You and your real estate agent know your home-purchasing power once you have a preapproval letter in hand. This will help you shop within your budget.
  • You can make a stronger offer. Sellers need to know that the buyer they choose can afford their home. A preapproval shows a seller that you have the money needed to purchase the home.
  • You’ll experience fewer surprises. When you’re preapproved, you’re less likely to run into last-minute surprises or delays with your mortgage lender.

The bottom line? Request a preapproval before you start shopping for a home. Read on to learn why a preapproval may not reflect the final loan offer.

2. Focus On WHERE You Want To Live

They say the three most important things to think about when buying a home are location, location, location. You can change almost everything else, but you can’t change your home’s location. So when you go house hunting, consider proximity to your work, how the home is situated on the lot, ease of access, noise from neighbors, and traffic. Also think about access to parks, shopping, schools, and public transportation.

3. Choosing The Right Realtor.

Buying a house is a big deal, so you’ll want to select a qualified real estate professional to represent you in your transaction—someone who is both knowledgeable and will look out for your interests.

As a first-time buyer, you may not know there are differences in buyer’s representatives. If you select an aggressive buyer’s representative, you can be assured you’re working with someone who has received special training in representing buyers and has already established a track record with buyers. Find out who serves your area and interview more than one buyer’s agent before deciding who offers the best fit in helping you navigate your first home purchase.

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Charlotte NC New Listing Home Tour

Charlotte NC New Listing Home Tour

Looking for a beautifully renovated home in Charlotte NC? You have to check out this beautiful single family home in Weston Woods. Homes sell fast in this real estate market. So make sure you check out our newest listing before it’s gone! Our newest listing is nestled in the heart of Ballantyne & offers style, class, upgrades & a location you just can’t beat.

Are you interested in buying, selling or investing in Charlotte real estate? Would you like to work with Charlottes Top Realtor? Give us a call! If you are looking to purchase or sell a home we would be honored to help find what moves you.

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Josh Finigan
The Finigan Group
Realtor @ eXp Realty
📞C: 704-631-3977
📧Josh@thefinigangroup.com
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