First-Time Home Buyers
If you are a first-time home buyer, use the guide below for helpful hints and tips and learn how to avoid common mistakes when buying your first home in Nashville.
- Pre-Approval: A mortgage pre-approval lets you know precisely what you can afford to buy. It also demonstrates to a seller that you are a willing and able buyer, making any offers more attractive. While choosing your lender, we highly recommend Matt Freije with Guaranteed Rate. We have worked alongside Matt for over eight years; he is extremely professional and cares dearly about our clients. His contact information is Cell: 615-332-1425 and Email: Matt.freije@rate.com.
- List of Needs & Wants: Almost every home purchase involves some degree of compromise, so it is essential to prioritize your wants and needs before you start looking. Communicating these needs to us is vital to know what to look for – if you're asking for a third bedroom, not for living space, but an office, this might change what houses we will be looking for.
While we focus on your needs and wants, it can be just as informative to know what you don't like about a home. While some things are apparent – not wanting to be too close to your neighbors or needing a single-family home over a townhouse – other surprisingly small factors may dictate what you buy. Again, communicating these to us, whether they seem silly or not, is essential in finding you the perfect place to call home. Remember to keep some flexibility in your wants and needs. A common mistake is to assume you know what you want right from the start. Most people change their list as they see more houses and slowly adjust their expectations over time. No one should miss out on the perfect home because of little things that can be easily changed.
- Representation by a Professional: Consider hiring your own real estate agent, one who is working for you, the buyer, not the seller.
- Focus & Organization: In a convenient location, keep handy the items that will assist you in maximizing your home search efforts. Such items may include:
- One or more detailed maps with your areas of interest highlighted.
- A list or file of the properties that your agent has shown to you.
- Paper and pen for taking notes as you search.
- A camera to snap pictures of homes you have toured to help you remember your favorites and features you really liked.
- Visualize the house empty & with your decor: Are the rooms laid out to fit your needs? Is there enough light?
- Be Objective: Instead of thinking with your heart when you find a home, think with your head. Does this home really meet your needs? There are many houses on the market, so don't make a hurried decision that you may regret later.
- Be Thorough: A few extra dollars well spent now may save you big expenses in the long run. Don't forget such essentials as:
- Include inspection & mortgage contingencies in your written offer.
- Have the property inspected by a professional inspector.
- Request a second walk-through to take place within 24 hours of closing (typically called the "final walk-through).
- You want to check to see that no changes have been made that were not agreed on (i.e., a nice chandelier that you assumed came with the sale having been replaced by a cheap ceiling light).
All the above may seem rather overwhelming. That is why having a professional represent you and keep track of all the details for you is highly recommended. Please contact us directly to discuss any of these matters in further detail.
*if you'd like an online manual, please click the link below*