Target A Location
Ask your real estate agent to show you areas that might meet your family’s needs.
Decide if you prefer an urban, suburban or rural area. Early in your home search,
narrow your location preferences to several neighborhoods.
- Ask local residents about desirable locations within the city or town.
- Review the amenities, price and location of homes in the real estate
section of the local newspaper.
- Research neighborhood Web sites, if available.
- Compare crime rates in various parts of town and in specific neighborhoods.
Ask the local police department or look online for comparative statistics.
- Research local school districts, even if you do not have school-age children.
Desirable school districts increase the value of neighborhoods.
- Drive or walk through neighborhoods meeting your requirements. Talk with
residents and ask what they like or do not like about the neighborhood.
Remember the following.
- A desirable location may maximize the future resale value of your home.
- It is better to invest in a modest home in a great location than in a great
home in an undesirable location.
- It is easier to fix up a home than a neighborhood.
If housing is scarce in your desired location, be prepared
to compromise on some wants, rethink your needs or spend more
on a home. You can be more selective when there are many homes
for sale (buyer’s market).
Online Updates
If you use e-mail, ask your agent to set up an automatic, customized property
search that allows you to preview homes online as they come on the market. You
will receive e-mail notification when properties fitting your criteria become
available. Attached links let you view photos and information for each home.
Evaluate Homes
As you visit homes, evaluate them according to how well they meet your needs and
wants. Consider the following.
- What style home you prefer, such as contemporary, traditional,
southwestern or colonial.
- If you want a newer or older home.
- If and to what extent you are willing to renovate.
Take notes and use the Home Search Checklist to record your observations.
Make multiple copies, attach one to the MLS sheet for each home you visit and
keep them in a folder for later reference.
Compare Value
A home’s price per square foot offers an objective benchmark for comparing a
home’s value to other similar-size homes in an area. To determine price per
square foot, divide the home’s asking price by its total square footage, which
often appears on the MLS printout. You can also get square footage information
from the local tax assessment agency or the home builder.
Narrow Your Home Choices
Schedule return visits to the homes you are seriously considering.
- Request permission to photograph each one inside and out.
- Compare the features, benefits and drawbacks of each home,
along with its general location and neighborhood.
- Identify your top choice.
- Submit an offer and pursue it diligently.
Identify two or three homes that meet your needs and that you like well
enough to purchase. Having multiple choices improves your position when you
begin negotiating an offer for your favorite home.
If the homes in the market are selling quickly (a seller’s market), you
will want to position yourself to be able to move rapidly through the process
of selecting and making an offer on the home of your choice.
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Selling A Home
Selling A Home
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