Things to know about buying your new home….

Buying a home is a very important decision and should’t be taken lightly. It can really make an enormous difference in your lifestyle. It is also most likely the biggest financial transaction you may make in a long time. There are some things you really need to consider when looking at a new home to purchase. 1. Be realistic and a little flexible: There are really no perfect homes. Even when you build your home from scratch and build a custom home. Even when you build a custom home when you are done you realize you could have done something different. You need to make a list and decide what is important to you, there might be a few things you can’t live without. Then there will be  a few that are part of your “wish list”. Maybe you need to have a garage. Make sure you find a home that has the features you require and be flexible on ones that are not 100% necessary, especially in today’s market. Be prepared to compromise on some of the items on your wish list. * Decide on a price: It’s OK to look at homes a little over what you can pay. Even in a hot market sellers will most likely take a lower offer for their listing if the rest of your offer is strong. Their are also some listing agents in Evergreen and the foothills that might take an over priced listing. Like a sooner cloing date or other things that go into the offer other than price. Get pre-approved for a loan if you can. Sometimes it’s hard when you don’t have a specific property picked out yet but if yo have been with the same bank for a while they will do it. That is a little stronger than just a pre-qual letter. Consider not only the amount of the loan the lender will allow, but also what you feel comfortable spending every month. Sometimes the bank will qualify you with more than you would like to spend. Take an look at your budget and adjust your search to what you want to spend. * Choose carefully: The way the market is these days it might be difficult because there aren’t a lot of homes for sale in Evergreen, CO or the rest of the Denver Foothills but this is a big decision and you don’t want to “settle” for your next home. Buying a home is more permanent than renting. Even though a recent study has found the average time on a home is only 5 years, that is still 4 years longer than most leases. BE sure to look at utilities and what it might cost to keep up the home Please don’t hesitate to call or email us if I can help you.