A first-time home buyer's guide

Buying a home is one of the biggest financial decisions that most people will face during their lifetime. A home, just like any other real estate property, is a great investment. Hence, home buyers, especially, first-time home buyers, must understand the basics of buying and negotiating for the price of a house.

Buying versus renting

Owning a home doesn't suit everyone. There are people who can't seem to stay at one place for a long period of time. Either, it's the nature of their jobs or they just love to travel to different places. Buying a home is a huge decision. Thus, you should carefully assess whether you are willing to spend a great portion of your life in a particular area or neighbourhood where the house of your choice is situated.

The advantages of buying your own home

Having a home of your own offers several unique advantages. A house is an asset which can be used as collateral for productive loans like loans for business or education. Real estate properties like houses also normally appreciate value over time, making it a valuable investment.

How much can you afford?

Before signing the mortgage contract, house buyers must first, honestly assess whether they can really afford the house of their choice. It is imperative that you display genuine honesty when buying a home, so that you'll not be broke or bankrupted once you fail to settle your mortgage payments.

Consider hiring a real estate agent

If you're buying a house for the first time, hiring the services of a real estate agent can help you. Similarly, you can also hire your own lawyer and/or property appraiser to make the negotiation process easier.

Research the real estate and housing market

Before rushing into buying your first home, you should first do your homework and research the real estate and housing market. Find out the latest market trends and typical prices of real estates in your area. By doing so, you can get a clearer picture of how much a particular home costs.

Walk-through as many units as possible

Home buyers should not get too excited when they are looking for a house. Smart home buyers look at and walk through as many house units as possible in order to get the most out of their money to purchase a house that they really want.