Real Estate…it’s not as easy as some people would like to believe it is.  Sure, you will always have your Do-It-Yourself types, and for a weekend project that isn’t too complicated, it’s a great way to save some money though I’m going to suggest that there are some things you should never attempt to do yourself.  Brain surgery comes to mind, as does filling a cavity or doing a root canal, and even reroofing your home or replacing all of the electrical wiring.

When you’re a buyer looking to purchase your home, there’s something you should know about the buying process.  One thing is that you need to hire a local Realtor with a good reputation that will help you navigate the murky waters of purchasing your home.

A good Realtor will have a vast list of contractor’s, lenders and home inspector’s that will make your life easier: a team of professionals that he or she is happy to recommend over and over again.

A buyers agent will sit down with you and have a “Buyer’s Consultation” and help you determine what your time frame is, if a short sale is a good investment for you, explain the contract to you so that you know and understand what you are signing, give you time frames for inspections, loan contingency removals, your final walk through, etc.

A professional Buyer’s Agent will have you sit with a reputable lender to discuss how much house you can comfortably afford.  This seems to be the scariest part of the transaction for some.  You have to have your credit “pulled” and find out what your FICO score is.  This will determine what your loan rate will be, which will in turn determine how much home you can purchase.

The lower your credit score, the higher the rate, the lower the price of the home you will be able to buy.  Make sense so far?

Next comes the fun part: getting in the car and actually looking at homes that fit your needs!  This can take some time so be sure that you are clear with what you need and want.  It will make it a little easier at the end of the day when what you want, matches what you need.

Stay tuned for part two!