So you’re about to place an offer on a house that fits most of your requirements? Hold your horses. Take a step back. The step you are about to take is a big one in the entire house buying process. There may be important measures you must take to finance the purchase well before placing the offer. An awareness of the market along with the neighborhood can help you choose a property that actually suits your needs. Let us take a look at what you should do before placing an offer.
Take a ride around the neighborhood
The location of the house you are about to buy is just as important as the number of rooms and amenities in the property. As you take a ride around the neighborhood, you get to research the public parks and school systems in the locality. During your research, be sure take a look at the current and prior crime rates. Ideally, you should visit the neighborhood at various times of the day to get a complete sense of the locality you are about to move in.
Research the house itself
Once you have thoroughly researched the market and neighborhood, you should evaluate the house itself. Compare the cost of the house not only to similar houses in the locality but also the amount that the owner paid at the time of purchase. Be sure to also ask the seller when they bought the house and why they are now selling it. Your real estate agent can arrange for and provide seller's disclosures, detailing the property’s history.
Request multiple visits
It is not enough to visit the house once before making up your mind about its purchase. Visiting the property more than once will help you look past any distractions that may have kept you preoccupied the first time around. Look out for any flaws you failed to notice during your first visit. Report these to the seller so any negotiations over the offer price take place, accordingly.
Buying a house is an important life choice that is typically the largest investment for many. Therefore, be sure to take care of these things before making an offer on a house. You can get in touch with me for any assistance or advice about buying or selling a home in Greater Boston. Feel free to call me or send me an email or get in touch on Facebook.
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