Buyers
Your Warm & Friendly “Hometown” Realtor®
Buyers
Buying a Home
Buying a home can be one of your most significant investments in life. Not only are you choosing your dwelling place, you are most likely investing a large portion of your assets into this venture. The more prepared you are at the outset, the less overwhelming and chaotic the buying process will be. The goal of this page is to provide you with detailed information to assist you in making an intelligent and informed decision. Remember, if you have any questions about the process, I am only a phone call or email away!
(361) 726-6544 or [email protected]
Home Inspections
Inspections are designed to help you understand the overall condition of a property, potentially saving you considerable time with the purchase process and hundreds or thousands of dollars in repairs. Some of the inspections which may be required or recommended by your real estate professional are:
- Standard Home Inspection
The areas which may be covered include lot and grounds, roofs, exterior surfaces, garage/carport, structure, attic, crawl space, electrical, heating and air conditioning systems, plumbing, fireplace/wood burning devices, and appliance condition. - Termite Inspection
A termite inspector will inspect the property for the presence of wood-destroying insects (WDI) or wood destroying organisms (WDO, i.e. fungus) and conducive conditions that exist. Inspection requirements vary by lenders. - Foundation Inspection
The foundation inspector will visually look for foundation cracks, damaged walls (exterior and interior), damaged flooring, and doors that do not shut properly. The inspector will also take elevations inside the home to determine if the foundation has settled in certain areas, and if so, if it is within acceptable limits. - Hydrostatic Plumbing Inspection
This inspection is performed on a home’s sanitary sewer system. It will determine if there are any leaks in the plumbing system.
Interest Rates
As you start shopping for a home loan, your first question to each mortgage lender will probably be “What’s your interest rate? or How much are you charging?” Interest rates are usually expressed as an Annual Percentage Rate (APR) of the loan amount borrowed. Interest rates have many factors and vary depending on the type of loan you are interested in (Conventional, FHA, VA, etc…) and also on your personal credit score. Do Not make any big purchases or expenditures (cars, home appliances, etc…) during this time that may lower your overall credit score or may work against you and reduce the amount that you may be able to borrow!
It is important that you speak with a qualified mortgage lender prior to beginning your home search! This is so you will know the price range for which you are qualified to buy.
The mortgage lender you choose can provide you with a Pre-Qualification Letter which is helpful when submitting a written contract offer to purchase a home.
