You have done your homework, researched the benefits of home ownership, got your finances in order and have been pre-qualified for a mortgage. Great! Now comes the exciting – and often stressful – part! It’s time to find your first Las Vegas home!
On Your Mark…
The first order of business should include finding a qualified, reputable real estate agent. The best way to find a good real estate agent is to ask friends, family members and neighbors for referrals.
Next, you’ll need to narrow down your neighborhood choices, price, type of home and features, and define your goals. Using the Internet is an easy way to learn about different communities in any given area.
A good real estate agent will listen to your needs and wants and only show homes which meet your criteria. He or she will also preview the homes before showing them to you to further eliminate the need to visit homes which are not in line with your objectives and goals.
Get Set…
Now that you’ve narrowed down your choices regarding price, location, type of home and features, your real estate agent will arrange a day to visit a few Las Vegas homes which meet your criteria. Grab a pair of comfortable shoes and bring along your digital camera and a notepad. While you’re at each of the homes on your tour, you’ll want to take pictures and notes regarding the home’s features and amenities.
You’ll also want to note the home’s surroundings and location. Is it close to the local school, the park or public transportation? Is it near power lines or situated along a busy street?
Once you’ve left each home, write down your overall, first impression. You can also use a rating system to better organize your thoughts and determine which homes are of the most interest to you.
Go!
After your day of house hunting, review your pictures and your notes and arrange a time to revisit the homes that were on the top of your list. Don’t expect to see 20 homes in a single day. The only thing this will accomplish is a pounding headache. Visiting just a handful of homes will better allow you to remember the features of each home and prevent confusion.
Finally, if you find your perfect home, plan to make an offer quickly. A motivated buyer will most often make an offer within two days of viewing a home. Any longer and your dream home could be just a memory.
Author Bio:
Richard is a Dallas real estate broker, with offices that specialize in the Fort Worth real estate & Irving real estate markets.
{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
Getting a buyer to make an offer quickly is getting difficult. They hear how slow the market is and think that they have all the time in world. They don’t realize that great homes usually go quick.
Indeed.
Realtors, such as ourselves need to educate our clients. Good homes still sell fast even in a down market. The last two deals Shawna had were both multiple offers, in which both times the home went over asking price.
I advise first time home buyers to seriously consider how long they plan to live in a particular area as it may impact their ability to sell a home if they move within 2-3 years. First time home buyers, who are usually younger, are more likely to move within a few years as their life goals and jobs are more rapidly changing during that time of their life. The problem is, first time home buyers, gravitate towards new neighborhoods with inexpesive homes in the suburbs which. When the client goes to sell the home in a couple of years they may have real trouble unloading a 2 year old home if the neighborhood builders are still building brand new homes with builder incentives. Something to think about…
Great Points, Michael!
How about the quality of the schools. It doesn’t matter whether or not the buyer has kids, but homes in areas with the best schools tend to hold value better.