Tulsa Real Estate Agent | The Wolek Group | 918-550-9243

Looking to buy a home? Here are five essential tips for making the process as smooth as possible.

Get your finances in order.

Start by getting a full picture of your credit. Obtain copies of your credit report. Make sure the facts are correct, and fix any problems you find. Next, find a suitable lender and get pre-approved for a loan. Most real estate agents know great local lenders and can give you advice on people they frequently use. Hiring the right lender will put you in a better position to make a serious offer when you do find the right house. 

Find a house you can afford.

As with engagement rings, there’s a general rule of thumb when it comes to buying a home: two-and-a-half times your annual salary. There are also a number of tools and calculators online that can help you understand how your income, debt, and expenses affect what you can afford. Don’t forget, too, that there are lots of considerations beyond the sticker price, including property taxes, energy costs, etc.

Hire a professional.

While the Internet gives buyers unprecedented access to home listings and resources, many aspects of the buying process require a level of expertise you can’t pick up from surfing the web. That’s why you’re better off using a top real estate agent than going it alone. If possible, recruit an exclusive buyer agent, who will have your interests at heart and can help you with strategies during the bidding process. It is always good to have a top real estate agent in your corner looking out for your best interests.

Do your homework.

Before making a bid, do some research to determine the state of the market at large. Is it more favorable for sellers or buyers? Next, look at sales trends of similar homes in the area or neighborhood. Look at prices for the last few months. Come up with an asking price that’s competitive, but also realistic. Otherwise, you may end up ticking off your seller. Agents make these decisions multiple times a week, that is just another reason to have one on your side, especially for a first-time homebuyer!

Think long term.

Obviously, you shouldn’t buy unless you’re sure you’ll be staying put for at least a few years. Beyond that, you should buy in a neighborhood with good schools. Whether you have children or not, this will have an impact on your new home’s resale value down the line. When it comes to the house itself, you should hire your own home inspector, who can point out potential problems that could require costly repairs in the future. It is extremely important that you choose an inspection company who is a local professional and will have your best interest in mind. This is another area where your local real estate agent will be able to guide you with the best local choice. 

Buying a home is an important and exciting thing! But it is not something that should be taken lightly, make sure you have one of our top real estate agents on your side when walking through the process. Here at The Wolek Group, we even do a free Buyer Consultation that walks you through all the steps of the process, give us a call today, 918-550-9243 we look forward to hearing from you soon!