Special Report From Mountain View Realty

How to Buy a Home... the Easy Way! Avoid the 10 Most Common, Painful, Frustrating Mistakes Home Buyers Make.

Buying a home can be a "hair raising" experience. It can be a roller-coaster of emotions... finding the right place... securing the loan... moving in. And, if you're like most of us, your home will be your largest investment. The emotions of such a large and personal purchase can often cloud good business judgment.

Many home buyers do very little research before "diving in" and investing their hard-earned money. Before doing that, doesn't it make sense to be as informed as possible? That's what this report is all about. It's designed to help you avoid 10 common, critical mistakes many home buyers make. If you follow these ten suggestions, with the help of the real estate professionals at Mountain View Realty, you'll make a good sound business decision that you'll be happy and proud of for years to come.

1. Inspect, Inspect, and Inspect - Go over the inspection report with a fine tooth comb. Make sure the report was done by a professional organization. For purchases in a community, go over the by-laws and Association Fees. Don't take anything for granted... inspect everything!

2. Imagine the Property Vacant - Your furnishings and decorations will be the ones filling this new residence. Don't be swayed by beautiful furniture... it leaves with the owner.

3. Income Plus Lifestyle Equals Mortgage Payment - Sit down with one of the real estate professionals at Mountain View Realty and honestly discuss your income level and living expenses. Take into account future considerations like; children, add-on, amenities or fix-ups. Your dream home is certainly worth a sacrifice but don't mortgage your entire future.

4. View Several Homes - See at least 3-5 properties. Don't move on the first property you see but... don't move too slowly either. With the help of Mountain View Realty you'll be able to view enough properties to get a good overall perspective of the marketplace. And when you find the right property, all the leg work will be worth it.

5. Utilize Your Team - By aligning yourself with Mountain View Realty, you'll have an entire team working for you. Top real estate professionals have lenders, title reps, inspection teams... an entire group of trained professionals making the whole buying experience simple and easy for you.

6. Be Columbo - Check out all your costs and expenses before your sign.. Utilities, taxes, insurance, maintenance, and home owner dues, if applicable. Make sure all utilities are on (gas, electricity, and water) so you can inspect everything in working order. Ask lots of questions and be very detail conscious.

7. Do a Final Walk Through - Visit the property after all the furnishings have been moved out to be sure there are no surprises. Be absolutely positive the property was left exactly as you had agreed upon in the contract. Many time, things are unintentionally overlooked that could have been spotted in a final walk through.

8. Plan For Flexibility - Closing dates are not written in stone. Allow for contingencies and have a back up plan. If you or the sellers need a little more time to conclude the final arrangements don't let these delays upset or frustrate you. These types of circumstances are not uncommon in a real estate transaction.

9. If It's Not In Writing, It Doesn't Exist - All promises and discussions are to be in writing. Don't make any assumptions or believe any assurances. Even the best intentions can be misinterpreted. At Mountain View Realty, we will help keep an ongoing log of all discussions, and get the seller's written approval for all agreements.

10. Price Out All Additional Work - If additional work needs to be done, new carpeting, painting, plumbing, or electrical work... get a bid from a reputable building contractor before making a final decision to purchase. This way you know the "true cost" of your purchase.

Our hope with this report has been to educate and help you avoid the pitfalls many home buyers go through. We hope you found the ideas valuable and if there is ever any way we can be of service to you or anyone you care about please contact our office. Your initial consultation is always completely free of charge and you're under no obligation of any kind. We'll sit down for 15-20 minutes... no high-pressure, just plain, honest talk about what it's going to take to achieve your personal goals. Go ahead... give us a call, fax, or e-mail. We'd love to hear from you!

Mountain View Realty
Phone: 570-676-3773
Fax: 570-676-9289
e-mail: coulby@poconorealestate.com

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