Published September 24, 2014

What Should Be On Your Home Buying Checklist?

Written by Fred Sed

What Should Be On Your Home Buying Checklist? header image.

Are you thinking about buying a home in Orange County?

In this post we will provide you with a home buying checklist which will cover all of the things you should be prepared for when buying a home.

Know Your Credit

Before applying for a mortgage loan you should review your credit and make sure there are no “skeletons” in your closet, or negative items on your credit report which could make it difficult for you to get pre-qualified for a mortgage loan.

Make Sure You Can Afford a Home

Once you have confirmed that your credit report is in order the next step is for you to make sure you are able to afford all of the extra expenses which come with owning a home like homeowners insurance and the best way to do this is by living on a budget.

Living on a budget before committing to a mortgage loan is important because this will give you a good idea of how much of a mortgage payment you can comfortably afford while being able to continue paying your normal bills and expenses.

Consult With a Mortgage Broker

The next step on this home buying checklist is to consult with a mortgage broker because a mortgage broker will help you get pre-qualified for a mortgage and also show you the mortgage loan amount you will pre-qualify for.

Hire a Real Estate Agent

After getting pre-qualified for a mortgage loan your next step is to hire a Real Estate agent.

Do Your Research

As a home buyer one of the most important things you can do when working with a Realtor is to have a checklist of everything you are searching for in a home so they can conduct an accurate home search based on your specific criteria.

Get Ready For House Hunting

You’ve hired a Realtor to help you with your home search; the next thing to do on this home buying checklist is to be ready to go house hunting!

Many times a great home can be bought within 24 hours or less so it’s important to be ready to look at homes with your Realtor when they’ve found great homes which match your criteria or risk losing what could be your dream home.