Steve Lewis
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Your Real Estate Resource


Home Sellers Buyers Home Search Area Info About Steve

Home Buyer Savvy Saves Headaches

When You Have Questions...

Handbooks on buying, financing and selling to help with the buying process. 
FREE copies
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If you would like to know how I can help you with the home buying process
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Why hiring an agent to work with can save you money & get you into the right home.
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Keep these points in mind when talking to a lender
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Mortgage primer. A quick run down on loan types & characteristics
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Property tax information. Know what you are paying for.
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{short description of image} Home Buyer Savvy

   Home Buyers who know what they want won't waste their time and get discouraged by having to search for "possibles." Instead, your energies can go into locating the "perfect" (or almost perfect) home at the right price with the right financing.
   Just ask yourself a few personal questions and bone up on some real estate facts of life. Such as:

1. Personal Matters (this list can go on indefinitely):

  • How many and what kind of rooms are essential?
  • How much commuting time is tolerable?
  • What home styles are appealing?
  • How much yard is absolutely necessary?
  • What kind of view is desirable?
Neighborhood Matters
  • How high are taxes? Are there any special assessments?
  • What plans exist for future area development? How will it affect the quality of life in this neighborhood
  • What schools will my children go to?
 2. Home Matters
  • What does it mean when an attic has dark stains on the walls? (Wetness, no doubt)
  • What do cracks in the foundation mean? (Uneven settling)
  • What if beams are soft? (May be termites)

 

 2. Home Matters Con't

  • What kind of pipes are best? (Copper lasts longer than cast-iron and won't rust)

  • What are the heating qualities and costs of electric & gas in this area?

  • Are hardwood floors essential? (Not always, particularly if you have wall-to-wall carpeting)

  • How do sidings compare? (Frame homes need occasional painting; aluminum and vinyl do not. Brick requires little maintenance. Stucco is best suited to southern climates.)

Value:  To recognize value, compare prices and features. Depend on me, I keep up with the always-changing market

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 3. Money Matters

  • Budget: Know what expenses to expect besides the PITI (mortgage principal and interest, property taxes and insurance premiums). What will you have spent on utilities, maintenance and other homeowners' costs (moving costs, furniture costs, etc.)?

  • Financing: Again, depend on me for assistance. What kind of mortgage loan best suits your circumstances? (Shop for a lender as knowledgeably as you shop for a home. Interest rates, the number of points & fee's charged vary.)