Welcome to today’s Tuesday Tip!  Today’s tip is for all the people thinking about buying their first home!  See my video for a brief overview!

So if you are thinking of buying your first home, you have probably been online and looking at all kinds of sites that are giving you lots and lots of advice on how to buy your first home!  I have posted many posts giving advice for first time home buyers as well.  But the other day, a local TV station posted a question on Facebook – what is the best piece of advice for a first time homebuyer?  Of course, there were lots of answers – answers that ranged from “don’t buy a house now” to “wait for the crash before buying a house” to lots of answers from Realtors (myself included).

But that question made me start to wonder – what is the right answer to this question!  So here is my answer:

Buy a house when you are ready to buy AND make sure you know why you are buying a house!

There are lots of reasons why someone buys a house – you are tired of renting (the landlord is raising the rent for instance).  Your family situation has now changed and you need more room!  You have decided that you are tired of paying rent and getting nothing for it!  There are lots of reasons why people go from renting to owning, and, as a Realtor who works with many first time homebuyers, I would love everyone to buy a home, even in this crazy real estate market we have been having!  And I do believe that buying a home is a smart investment!

But, having said that, I also realize that buying a home is not the right move for everyone!  Buying a house is not nearly as easy as it would appear on the television shows such as HGTV’s House Hunters!  And in our current real estate market, it may take a little bit of time and several creative offers in order to finally get a home under contract!  Which is why being ready to buy AND knowing why you are buying a house is the first step to becoming a home owner!  Once you have made that choice, then everything will flow from there – you will find a Realtor who is a knowledgeable first time homebuyer Realtor, you will find a lender who will be able to get you the best financing for your particular situation, you will look at houses and make an offer and once accepted, you will be able to inspect it, review HOA documents and go to closing!  But knowing why you are buying and being ready to buy will help you get through the process!

If you are thinking of buying a home, feel free to get in touch with me!  I work with many first time home buyers and will help guide you through the process! And if you just have questions, don’t hesitate to get in touch with me – I am happy to answer any questions you may have – no obligation, no pressure!  Have a great day!