How To Choose A Home To Buy

Buying a home is a very time intensive project but it is probably the biggest decision you will make in your lifetime. Your choices will affect you and your family's quality of life possibly for years. I've tried to list the steps that are most important to narrow your choices and make your search become manageable. Your best path is through educating yourself. Read through my tips for buyers in the left menu.

There has never been a more true statement. Choosing the location is the critical factor. for many that live and work in metropolitan areas this can be a wide choice. Many people can commute and choose to live in outlying communities. Others embrace the urban inner city areas and gravitate to the new loft style of living. This is your first choice, determining which general vicinity is right for you and your family. There are many factors to consider. If you have children or are planning to start a family soon then schools can be the most important factor for you to consider. Do your research.

Start by investigating which districts have the highest ratings. Fortunately this is easy to do on the internet. I have a school search in my menu. You can investigate all about elementaries, middle schools, high schools and even colleges.

If schools are not a concern then investigate those things that are important to you. Dining, shopping, recreation, hospitals? Many of these answers can be found in my community links page. You may also want to consider if a house in a subdivision with a Home Owners Association might be right for you. If you do, contact me for a packet of regulations for that particular HOA. You don't want any surprises after you have moved in.

Once you have narrowed it down to a couple of neighborhoods, you can sit down and make a list as to what amenities are most important in your real estate purchase. Is a one, two, three or even four bedroom a must? How many bathrooms do you really need. Do you need a garage? If so, parking for how many vehicles? Is a family room, den or home office important? After you have decided on your must haves, use the house affordability calculator to determine your price range.

If the calculator has given you a wake up call, you might need to do some trimming on your must haves. Once you have determined all your factors, contact me for first hand information on available houses in your price range. Many times, great houses come onto the market that never make it into the multiple listings or even in the paper. It will be much quicker than driving street after street looking for a for sale sign. And sometimes, a house may be for sale with no sign in the yard.

You may also click on the listings link in my top menu and search any central Texas property or view my featured listings page. If you are desiring a new home, check my "New Home Builders" page for links to all the premier home builders in our area.

Once you have your lists all made up and we have houses to look at, leave plenty of time to properly view a house. You will want to take a close look.

Read through all the articles in the menu on the left. It will help you understand the home buying process and better prepare you.

Now I just want to take a minute to tell you "welcome". If you are just moving to the area, I think you will find living in any of the areas I specialize in a great experience. Whether you land in the Georgetown, Round Rock, Hutto, Pflugerville, Cedar Park, Leander or the surrounding areas, I want to be your REALTOR®.