Get Help.
 
Your home is likely to represent one of the largest investments in your life. In order to make sure that the transaction goes smoothly it is of vital importance that you choose the right agent to represent your interests. The right agent will be someone whose experience and personality makes you feel comfortable. You should try to find an agent that is familiar and knowledgeable about the area you plan to move into and buy real estate in. 
 
Get Pre-Approved.
 
Do you already know how much home you can afford? There is nothing more frustrating than looking for a home, finding the perfect home, and then discovering that it is out of your price range. Speak with a lender to learn about the different financing options available to you. When you find the right lender get the paperwork processed so that you will be ready to buy when you find the right home. 
 
Avoid Major Purchases.
 
In order to determine the amount of home you can afford a lender uses your debt-to-income ratio. This ratio is the percentage of your pre-tax income that you spend on debt. Your debt ratio will include: monthly housing costs, car payments, credit cards, student loans, and any other installment debt. If you take on more debt right before buying a home it is going to have an impact on the amount of the loan that the lender will finance.
 
 
Sign up for Property Watch. 
 
In order to make an educated decision you need to know what is available and how much it is going for. You can browse all the active listings from my website. Once you have found some homes you like save those searches and sign up for property watch so that new listings will be emailed to you. The best homes move fast so you need to make sure that you are on top of the available inventory at all times so you do not miss out.
 
 
Ask Questions.
 
No one knows the home better than the seller of the property when buying real estate; however it is not always in the seller's best interest to disclose all the information. If you find out the seller's motivation for selling you might be able to negotiate a better deal on the home. Try to find out the last time service was performed on the roof, furnace, and water heating. Asking the right questions now can end up saving you a lot of money in the long run.
Get inspected.
 
Answering Your Home buying Questions

Buying a home is both thrilling and a bit unnerving especially if you're a first-time home buyer. Both experienced home buyers and first-time buyers alike will benefit from the frequently asked questions below. Before you begin your home search, it is recommended you prepare yourself for the journey by educating yourself. This will insure you are a knowledgeable home buyer prepared to make a confident luxury home, waterfront estate, condominium or golf course property buying decision.

Q - I've never purchased a home before. Where should I begin?

A - Actually you've already started the process. Fact-finding and reading articles is a great way to become a smart consumer. The highest priorities before you begin searching for specific areas, neighborhoods, or homes would be to:
 
Familiarize yourself with your personal finances.
Learn about the Miami real estate market.
Carefully review your budget and begin to eliminate as much debt as possible.
Have a down payment and earnest money ready when the time comes to act and make your offer.
Next, contact me . As your luxury home buying specialist, I'll protect your interest and manage the details of the real estate transaction on your behalf to your complete satisfaction. For more experienced buyers, a little brush up on the real estate process wouldn't be a bad idea. Of course, you'll need a really sharp Miami real estate agent to protect your interest too!
 
Q - With all the bad news about mortgage products and home foreclosures, how do I avoid making a big mistake when deciding which type of loan to select?
 
A - Once we meet and review your finances along with your home buying needs, you should select a lending consultant. I can recommend several trusted lending professionals or you can choose your own. Having utmost confidence in your lender is important. Be sure you feel completely at ease with your lender. They should speak to you in easy to understand terms. Ask lots of questions and never ever sign any document until you know what you are signing and feel completely at ease signing it. More and more lending professionals are recommending fix interest rate loans and interest rates are still very attractive. Of course, what type of loan is best for you depends on several factors. Here are just a few:
How much money you have for a down payment?
How long you plan to live in the home?
Do you qualify for a FHA or VA loan?
Because more luxury homes, waterfront estates and luxury condominiums, golf course and boating community homes are on the market here in Miami, your choices are plentiful and the time is right for you to buy!
 
Let's Get Started!

Are you ready to schedule your home buying consultation? If so, call me or email me today and together we will review your needs and your budget to help you find the right home for you!
 
The last thing you want to discover after you have bought a home is that you have purchased a "money pit". By "money pit" I am referring to a home that is full of defects that are going to end up costing you a lot of money. Save yourself a lot of time in future litigation and renovation by bringing in a licensed home inspector before you buy. If any problems are found it will steer you away from a bad decision or help you negotiate a better price.