Do you consider moving soon? If you’re already from North Carolina and you’re changing your living place within the state, then things might be easier for you than someone who is changing states and coming to live to NC for the first time. However, whatever your case may be, there are still different approaches state to state and city to city that you should get acquainted with in order for your moving process to go as quickly and as smoothly as possible.
10 Steps to Buying a Home in North Carolina
Even though the North Carolina home buying process is considered to be the most buyer-friendly in the US, we have created this home buyers’ guide to help you pick your next home. These are the 10 things every future homeowner in North Carolina should know.
Decide on Your Priorities and Needs
Before you do anything else, determine your particular needs and priorities of what your dream home needs to have. Whether that’s a location, in-house features, privacy, home-style, or something else, you need to make a list of those must-haves. You can do this on your own or together with the second step when you find a suitable real estate agent.
Find a Reliable Real Estate Agent
Buying a home with a realtor as opposed to without one has its many benefits, especially if this is your first time moving. Whether you’re looking for a new build, urban condo, or traditional single-family home, Howard Real-estate has the most reliable resources with which based on your particular needs can find you your optimal home. You can filter by types of buildings, neighborhoods, close facilities, interests, and other categories based on your preferences. After all, our goal is to find the optimal property for you and guide you through the entire process as smoothly as possible.
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Get Your Mortgage Pre-approval
When a seller sees your mortgage pre-approved, they take your offer more seriously than someone who doesn’t have any approval or a pre-qualification letter only. So, place yourself as the most reliable buyer they have with your financing ability confirmed, so they cannot help but say yes to your offer. It makes a whole lot of difference in today’s market to have your financing secured. Contact us to find out more regarding this approval and how to prepare your documentation for it.
Analyze the Resources
When shopping for a home, you will need different resources of information during various stages of your buying process. Our agency has different listings and research tools to help you find exactly what you’re looking for. At this point you will need all the information you can get on various city neighborhoods, facilities nearby, cost of living, crime rates, market reports, and other interests you have. When buying a new home and looking to build your life around it, it is of crucial importance that you consider all these things before making a decision. Your satisfaction and your family’s happiness is of the utmost importance to us. This is why we will make sure to give you all the data you need and work with you every step of the way.
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Put in the Offer
Now that you have done all the research on houses /condos and nearby facilities, it is time you make the first step towards the home(s) you have found suitable. The proper negotiation techniques will substantially affect your success during your purchase. This is why having an experienced professional at your side will make all the difference in handling the price and offer. First, consult with your agent as to what you can agree on in terms of price, and then go forward in placing the offer.
The Negotiation Process
In the previous step, we have mentioned something about negotiations and that done properly, those ensure that the seller takes your offer seriously during the purchase. Having an experienced agent by your side results in getting the best price possible and putting your mind at ease by bringing order to the process that oftentimes seems overwhelming even to the most organized buyer.
Cover all Details
Proactive management throughout the entire process, as well as attention to detail, makes your purchase productive and efficient. At this point you have to satisfy all contingencies by covering each corner of the home, inspecting it and knowing exactly what you are getting. It is nice to have a “love at first sight” home, but do not let your emotions get in the way of reason as you’ll soon discover that paying more for something that needs additional work is not all that clever.
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That is why this is the right moment to find out exactly what you are getting out of your deal. Hire home inspection, pest inspection, heat efficiency, and other reviews of the home that might come to your mind that may be needed at this point. Although these expenses will most likely fall on your side of the closing costs you at the end, it is still worth to know what you need to invest in at the beginning and whether those needed investments will step over your budget or not.
Finalize your Mortgage Approval
If you have already got your pre-approval of your mortgage, at this point you only need to have it approved and there isn’t anything else to worry about. Contact us here to make sure all your paperwork is in place and you’re good to go.
Get your Title Insurance
This is one of the final steps when it comes to buying a new property. Namely, the previous owner conveys their title of the home to you. With this, you become the legal owner of the property. Make sure no hidden defects in the title are there or some mistakes in a prior deed or will, as those can create potential legal issues against your title to the property. To avoid this, you may get title insurance that covers all the legal expenses if a claim against your title is made by a third party. This insurance will save you a lot of time and money at the end and it is well worth it.
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One Last Pre-closing Inspection
Do not skip this step and hire a professional to inspect all the fixtures attached to certain parts of the home. Whether it’s a beautiful, but heavy chandelier above the dining area, or a basketball hoop attached to the garage wall, someone needs to inspect all the fixtures prior to closing the deal. Make sure to check for any other substantial damage from the previous owner’s move out, and negotiate that they cover part or all the expenses of the inspection in the closing cost.
Finally, Welcome to your New Home!
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After going through all the 9 steps above, the dream property is finally yours at this point. Move in, get acquainted with the new neighborhood and make a home out of your new house.
