How to buy a House by PasadenaSue

"Rewarding and scary in one fell swoop"

How I did it: Save, save, save every penny I could for 1.5 years for the downpayment.
Then I located the area where I wanted to buy my house.  Then I decided on the minimum size (3 bedrooms, 1.5 bath) and I started looking.  It took me 6 months to find the house in the location I wanted.  I made an offer that was accepted.  Getting through all the paperwork was a hassle. 

Lessons & tips: READ everything carefully!!!  Since my house was built in 1948 and I was only the second owner, there were things in the paperwork that had since been outlawed - so READ EVERYTHING!!

Ask for explanations on fees.  There were a few fees that I didn't pay because they had been agreed to be paid by the seller beforehand.  Banks and escrow people just push papers, you need to check every document.

Get the house inspected.  Don't just take the seller's word on things. 

Know what you want, or what you can live with.  I took a tape measure and few floorplans of houses, and took pictures so  I could remember later what was what.

Resources: Internet.  MLS.  Friends.  Local building codes.


 

Oct 30, 09:30AM PDT | 0 comments | 18 cheers


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