Courtesy of Greg Morris, REALTOR®

Ten Tips for First-Time Homebuyers

1. Be picky, but don’t be unrealistic. There is no perfect home.
2. Do your homework before you start looking. Decide specifically what features you want in a home and which are most important to you.
3. Get your finances in order. Review your credit report and be sure you have enough money to cover your downpayment and your closing costs.
4. Don’t wait to get a loan. Talk to a lender and get prequalified for a mortgage before you start looking.
5. Don’t ask too many people for opinions. It will drive you crazy. Select one or two people to turn to if you feel you need a second opinion.
6. Decide when you could move. When is your lease up? Are you allowed to sublet? How tight is the rental market in your area?
7. Think long-term. Are you looking for a starter house with the idea of moving up in a few years or do you hope to stay in this home longer? This decision may dictate what type of home you’ll buy as well as type of mortgage terms that suit you best.
8. Don’t let yourself be house poor. If you max yourself out to buy the biggest home you can afford, you’ll have no money left for maintenance or decoration or to save money for other financial goals.
9. Don’t be naïve. Insist on a home inspection and if possible get a warranty from the seller to cover defects within one year.
10. Get help. Consider hiring a REALTOR® as a buyer’s representative. Unlike a listing agent, whose first duty is to the seller, a buyer’s representative is working only for you. And often, buyer’s reps are paid out of the seller’s commission payment.

www.REALTOR.org/realtormag Reprinted from REALTOR® Magazine Online by permission of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® . Copyright 2003. All rights reserved.

Click here for printer-friendly format

Contact Me

Gregory Morris
410-727-4644 office
443-956-4171 cell     

Please enter your requirements below for a complete report on properties which meet your needs. Please include your valid e-mail address for responses.
* Required fields are blue
First Name
Last Name
E-mail
Phone
Type of Home:	Single-family Multifamily Town-Home Condo Land Commercial Investment Residential Patio-Home
Desirable Communities and/or Towns:
Price Range:	$0 $10,000 $20,000 $30,000 $40,000 $50,000 $60,000 $70,000 $75,000 $100,000 $125,000 $150,000 $175,000 $200,000 $225,000 $250,000 $275,000 $300,000 $325,000 $350,000 $400,000 $450,000 $500,000 $550,000 $600,000 $650,000 $700,000 $750,000 $800,000 $850,000 $900,000 $1,000,000 $1,500,000 $2,000,000 $2,500,000 $3,000,000 $3,500,000 $4,000,000 $4,500,000 $5,000,000 $6,000,000 $8,000,000 $10,000,000 no minimum to $10,000 $20,000 $30,000 $40,000 $50,000 $60,000 $70,000 $75,000 $100,000 $125,000 $150,000 $175,000 $200,000 $225,000 $250,000 $275,000 $300,000 $325,000 $350,000 $400,000 $450,000 $500,000 $550,000 $600,000 $650,000 $700,000 $750,000 $800,000 $850,000 $900,000 $1,000,000 $1,500,000 $2,000,000 $2,500,000 $3,000,000 $3,500,000 $4,000,000 $4,500,000 $5,000,000 $6,000,000 $8,000,000 $10,000,000 no maximum
Minimum Number of Bedrooms:	1 2 3 4 5
Minimum Number of Bathrooms	1 2 3 4 5
Minimum Square Footage:	any 600 800 1000 1200 1800 2000 2250 2500 2750 3000 3500 4000
Time Frame to Buy / Sell / Invest:	Immediately Three months Six months Six to twelve months Three to six-months Twelve to twentyfour months One year
Address
City
State/Province	Alabama Alaska Alberta Arizona Arkansas British Columbia California Colorado Connecticut Delaware District Of Columbia Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Manitoba Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Brunswick New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Ontario Oregon Pennsylvania Puerto Rico Rhode Island Saskatchewan South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virgin Islands Virginia Washington Washington DC West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming
ZIP/Postal Code
Special Requirements