Finding a House More Easily

Realtors are not clairvoyant. So, the more information or self discovery you can do before you contact a realtor, the better. Here are a few tips on helping the buyer narrow down their property search.

- Get pre-approved before you speak with a realtor. Remember, just making the payments isn't enough. You will have to prove the funds for a downpayment for the loan and closing costs. You may need to have an inspection and other out-of-pocket expenses to cover, so make sure you consider that in your purchasing equation. Also, the property may need some work, allocate funds for the immediate improvements necessary upon closing.

- Drive around neighborhoods and identify those street you general like and dislike. A city may have 50 neighborhoods that would be potential options for you, so check out properties on the Internet and drive by them. Once you check out the area, you will can have an intelligent discussion with your realtor about where you want to live.

- Discuss the timing of your closing. Do you need to be in a place in one month or one year? The Realtor can direct you to the proper options and the best deals.

- Get a realistic grasp of what your dollar can buy. Websites like Realtor.com, Trulia.com and other home search sites can help you accurately determine what the amount of money you have available will purchase. Once a customer came into the office with a printout of a property that had a typo in the listing that stating the 6/6 house in a very exclusive section of town was priced at $100K. There was at least on "0" missing from the end of that number. The woman insisted on seeing it, but after a call to the agent, she realized it was mismarked. Realtors know the true value of a house and let you know if the property is truly a deal or not.

- Create a list of "must haves", "would like to haves" and "don't wants" for the agent to use in the search process. Make sure you don't get too specific. Too tight of search criteria can eliminate viable properties. For example, if you insist on a 3-stall garage and there is a property that has a 2-stall and carport that may be suit your needs, you would eliminate that possibility by the narrowing the search criteria too far.

Good luck on finding a home and remember to do your research. Even with the help of a Realtor, the final decision is up to you.