9 Moments That Pretty Much Sum Up House Hunting

It’s a whole other world out there…especially without an agent to guide the way.

1. When you spend all day looking at houses.

2. When you evaluate a house’s interior decor.

3. When you try to stick to your budget.

4. When you forget how to actually live.

5. When you don’t want to sound inexperienced.

6. When you feel like your hormones are all over the place.

7. When it’s all you want to talk about.

8. When you discover a whole new vocabulary.

9. When you and bae try to set a list of priorities.

Buying a house is intense, so why go it alone? We can help you find your perfect home so you can get back to living again.

3 Questions To Ask Before Buying Your First Home

The real estate market is constantly changing, so of course DO YOUR RESEARCH before buying! Do not jump the gun on this one! Unbiased advice from family and peers may be kind, but you are the only one who knows what your needs are when it comes to buying a home. That's why as part of your research, you should ask yourself these 3 questions:
 

Q1: WHAT MADE YOU CONSIDER OWNING A HOME?

Forget finances for a minute and focus on what made you consider even buying a home in the first place!

• Is your family expanding?

• Does your family feel safe?

• Is there a STELLAR school system in the area so your children can get the education they deserve?

• How about that unbearable landlord?

• Simply need more space?

• Looking to build equity?

Knowing the primary reasons for why you're buying can help you (and your future real estate agent) hone in on what options are best for you, right now and long-term.

Q2: WHICH WAY IS THE REAL ESTATE MARKET GOING?

Include this question in your initial research and don't sleep on your decision to buy for too long! Home prices in general are on the rise. Not only are they on their way back up, but these increases are happening monthly.

According to Existing Homes Sales Report from the National Association of Realtors (NAR), the average price of homes in May 2017 went up 5.8% from last year.

If you wait until next year to buy, you might be scrapping for change in the cushions to say the least. Not only will it cost you more to buy, but you will also need to increase your down payment to account for the higher price of the home. Talk to your agent for more information on why right now may be a better time to buy than taking some time to save more up-front.

Q3: WHAT IS THE MORTGAGE FORECAST?

The initial process of purchasing your home may seem quick (especially in the fast-paced Dallas real estate market), but there are a lot of moving parts! The ‘long term cost’ of buying a home can haunt you if you buy at the wrong time! Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA), and NAR have projected that mortgage interest rates will definitely increase over the next twelve months. The smallest increase in mortgage rates can have a huge impact on a home owner over time.

Final Thoughts

If you and your family feel it is the right time to buy a home then GO FOR IT! Just consider these points when making the final decision, and contact us at The Castillo Group to get any of your questions answered!

Avoid the Wrong Real Estate Agent

In what will likely be the biggest investment you make in your life, buying a home needs the attention and assistance a professional real estate agent can provide. But not just any real estate agent, it's important to find the "right" one. With the ease of being able to land a license, you want to make sure you're hiring an agent who has the experience and drive to ensure you're provided the tools and skills to walk away from a closing knowing your needs were met. Let's jump into issues you can face if you don't have the right agent on your side.

1. THE "WRONG" AGENT WON'T LISTEN.

It's important to find a real estate agent that sits down with you, actually listens to your needs, and acts on those needs. What type of home do you want? Where do you want to live? Does the commute to school or work have to be a certain distance? Etc. Working with an agent that doesn't take the time to listen to your real estate needs will end up wasting your time and sending you homes to look at that don't match your needs. Sit down with an agent that wants to get to know what fits you best, and wants to help you achieve your goal of buying the house you're really looking for.

2. YOU'LL GET TERRIBLE ADVICE.

Choosing the wrong agent means you'll find yourself in situations with terrible advice. Make sure you choose an agent that is able to give you the proper direction when it comes to the whole sales process. From negotiations, to repairs, you want to ensure you choose a trusted, experienced adviser that can guide you on the right path.

3. THEY WON'T NEGOTIATE THE BEST DEAL FOR YOU

A great agent will negotiate for you to get an amazing deal. Now this isn't to equate to unrealistic negotiation expectations of what the market will sell a home for - because that can mean losing your dream house. But the "wrong" agent won't bother to negotiate on any part of the sales process, or may lean too much on you for what you want the next step to be. You want to find an agent that not only negotiates for you, but does it in an effective way and advises you on the best steps to take, to ensure you still get the right home.

4. DIFFICULT TO GET IN TOUCH WITH

A great agent has a set and active schedule that allows you to get in touch with them, or a member of their team, on a reasonable time frame. The "wrong" agent will be difficult to get a hold of, even not getting back to you during the sales process for days (sometimes even weeks.) To find a great agent, you want to find one that has dedicated business hours that allow you to get in touch with them at anytime during those hours, and is available to call you back if they miss your call, in a timely manner. Bonus if they have a Buyer's Agent dedicated solely to the buying process! This is incredibly important during the sales process, if something needs immediate attention, and your agent is nowhere to be found, you can lose the deal.

5. CAN LEAD TO A LEGAL MESS

The "wrong" agent can be unethical, or simply not have the proper knowledge about the legalities within the industry that is standard for agents to follow through on. As a professional, in an industry with a lot of accompanying laws, it's a great agent's job to know how to protect you throughout the sales process. While providing the necessary contracts and guidance to ensure you're protected by the decisions you make as well.

6. AN UNHAPPY BUYING EXPERIENCE

Buying a home is an important and big process in a person's life. If you're buying your first home, or you're purchasing your dream home, you want the experience to go smoothly obviously. A great agent will be able to navigate the bumps that come up within the sales process in an experienced and professional manner. The "wrong" agent will create a mess of the sales process, not find you the right home, and you can end up with a home you don't actually love - or one with too many issues. Find a great agent that knows the process - ask them plenty of questions before securing their business! - and can ensure it goes as smoothly as possible, giving you the time to prepare for common situations that may cause delays. Although some things can occur that neither party is aware of, having an experienced agent will help you through general hurdles that could arise through the sale.

You need the right agent to find you the right home! Find out why The Castillo Group is a great option.