Tuesday, August 28, 2007

Are You Ready To Buy?

Being ready to buy means much more than simply wanting a home. The process of buying a home is a complex series of events that will have a huge impact on your future and especially your finances. Being ready to buy a home is one thing but being financially ready is another thing altogether. Many people rush into the home buying market without proper preparation and end up heartbroken when they cannot afford the home they have already fallen in love with our after buying they find that the financial strain is too great and they have to sell or even worse, end up losing the home to foreclosure. This is a situation that nobody wants to find themselves in.

One of the main things that you can do to help your chances of success in the real estate market is to be realistic about what you can afford. Let's face the facts, if you make $50,000 a year for example then it is not a great idea to get tied into a $700,000 home or condo. Owning a home has a lot of hidden costs that while renting you don't experience. Think about what the property tax on such a large home will be, is that something you can afford? Financial planning is something that should be done far more frequently in the home buying market. Every year sees thousands of foreclosures due to the fact that people cannot pay for their homes. Of course there are some mitigating circumstances but a large percentage of these could likely have been avoided with proper planning in the early stage. What it comes down to is being able to define your needs and mesh them with your wants in a home and eventually find a comfortable middle ground. A middle ground where the home costs don't cripple you financially.

Another thing that one should take into account is the state of interest rates. Inflating interest rates can cause havoc with homes where the mortgage is based on a variable rate. For this reason fixed rate loans are always the best bet. They give you a fixed home payment every month that does not change. this is a huge asset when trying to maintain a monthly budget. If you have any questions about the home buying procedure or the loans procedure don't hesitate to contact a professional and talk things out. The more info you have the better your chances are of succeeding in the real estate market.

John West is the owner/broker of Specialists Real Estate. With over 25 years of real estate experience, John is the elite buyer's choice for Las Vegas real estate. For more information on homes and properties in Las Vegas, contact John & The Specialists team today!


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