Before You Buy
The Successful Purchase Starts Here

No one is born knowing how to buy a home. Whether you've done this a few times previously, or whether you've never done this before, you've come to the right place. Your decision to buy a home is both a sound financial decision and a commendable achievement-but you need the guidance of a professional; someone who has done this for a living each and every day for years, working solely as your buyer's representative.

If you've decided it's time to move up to a larger home, a better home, or one in a nicer area, your next challenge will be getting there financially. You may need more cash, a larger income, and perhaps, better credit than you had when you purchased your existing home. Here are a few pointers to consider:

"Moving on up":

1. Take stock of your credit standing and debt status well before making your next home purchase. A few years of credit-card accounts, car payments, and student loans may have "dinged" up your financial image quite a bit. Late payments may have a negative effect on your credit profile, as do large, long-term balances on your credit card accounts. You may need to reduce some debt, catch-up on delinquent accounts, and remove any other blemishes that affect your FICO score.
2. Do Your Loan Shopping Early in the Game. Contact a lender who can help determine your credit standing and get you pre-approved, (not pre-qualified) now.
3. Determine your need for, and availability of, cash for your next purchase. If you're selling a house, get an accurate picture now as to what you will net and have available for your next purchase. (As always, the listing division of the HOME TEAM can help here).
4. Put Your Game Plan Together Now. It can save an awful lot of stress later on, if all the above items are addressed right up-front.

If you're a first time homebuyer, remember, there's a first time for everything. Making such a large financial commitment is a very scary thing. All the terminology is new, all the buzz words about earnest money, and closing costs, escrow, adjustable rate mortgages---let us make it much simpler for you. We've developed an entire First-time Homebuyer Seminar, done completely online, that will take you through the entire process.

Top 10 Signs That It's Time to Own Your Own Home

1. You're ready to stop paying your landlord's mortgage payment, and essentially financing his retirement.

2. You really need the tax deductions associated with property taxes and interest.

3. You want to have a vested interest in your community.

4. You can no longer tolerate waiting a week, in the middle of the summer, for your landlord to send a repair-person to fix your air conditioning unit.

5. You are working at a job where you aren't required to relocate out of the country every three years.

6. You want to provide your family with a sense of stability and plant roots.

7. The number of members of your household more than doubles the number of bedrooms in your current residence.

8. You want your home to be your castle, your domain, your own property, which you can improve in any way you please.

9. You are tired of saving all of your quarters for the Laundromat.

10. When you say you are "going home", you want to really mean it!

As Your Realtor ® .

• We will lead you through every step of the exciting home buying process.
• We will help you define your "wish-list" of features you want in your home, your neighborhood, and your school district.
• We will walk you through the mind-boggling financial details associated with buying a home, including understanding the various mortgages and home buying programs available to you.
• We will monitor all new listings and alert you to new houses as soon as they are put on the market.
• We will help eliminate the stress involved with buying a home by putting our years of real estate experience to work for you.

Finding you the perfect home is our business.

We have put together a series of articles and advice on buying, as well as a number of free reports available by e-mail. If you would like additional information, or if we can be of service, give us a call at 512-567-3997 or contact us by e-mail. We'll sit down for 20-30 minutes and get your MVP Home Finder profile in the system. No high-pressure, just plain, honest talk about what it will take to buy a home.