House Hunting Key: Knowing What You Want
By:
A
quick search on realtor.com will bring up thousands of homes for sale.
Educating yourself on your local market and working with an experienced
Realtor can help you narrow your priorities and make an informed decision about which home to choose.
Start With Your Budget
Before you begin your house search you should have a preapproval letter in
hand from a lender and an idea of your comfort level with a prospective
house payment. You and your Realtor can begin to search for homes for
sale that fit your budget, but keep in mind that you don’t necessarily
want to spend up to the maximum amount you can borrow. On the other
hand, you can consider going slightly above your preferred price range
as long as the monthly payment is still affordable or if you have extra
cash to make a bigger down payment.
Find the Right Neighborhood
After you’ve established your price range you’ll need to narrow your search by neighborhood.
You should be looking at neighborhoods that allow an acceptable commute
to work. Think about the type of setting in which you want to live —
urban, suburban or rural. Do you want a community with lots of outdoor
recreational amenities; one with shops, restaurants and nightlife; or
one with plenty of activities for children and good schools?
Many homes, whether they are
single-family residences, townhomes or villas, are part of a homeowner
association (HOA). Part of your search process should be to consider
whether you want to live in an HOA or not. On the positive side, HOA
rules help protect home values and the dues often include community
amenities and maintenance. On the other hand, the rules also limit what
you can do with the exterior of your home. You’ll also need to include
HOA dues as part of your housing budget.
Condominiums and cooperative homes also
have association dues and offer a different type of ownership, with the
association owning the exterior of the property while you own the
interior. These dues will be part of your housing budget, but they
typically include some of your homeowner’s insurance and other costs, as
well as pay for amenities such as a swimming pool or a fitness center.
It’s a good idea to visit communities at
various times of day and night, and on weekends and weekdays, to get a
feel for who lives there and what the activity level is like.
Two important elements of a neighborhood
influence how well the homes in that community will hold onto their
value: crime and schools. While Fair Housing laws prevent a Realtor from
telling clients about crime statistics or talking about “good” or “bad”
schools, a Realtor can direct you to websites that provide information
about those topics. Even if you don’t have children and don’t plan to
have them, buying a home in a well-regarded school district can help the
property’s long-term value.
Start Searching
Most buyers start searching for a home
online on websites such as realtor.com, but you can also ask a Realtor
to help you find homes for sale. You can request email alerts that
notify you when a home that fits your list of priorities comes on the
market.
You can evaluate a home first by looking
at photos and a description online. In many cases, homes’ online
listings have virtual tours or videos that offer the opportunity to see
more.
The next step in your house hunt is narrowing down your priorities to find the home that meets your needs.
Look at both new homes and existing
homes. New homes are sometimes more expensive than existing homes, but
they require less maintenance and often have lower utility bills because
of their energy-efficient features.
Thank you for visiting our REMAX REALTY CENTER, Real Estate in Wisconsin website.
Please feel free to contact us for any of your residential or commerical real estate needs including an online market if you are a seller, or finding a home if you are a buyer.
Our real estate focus in the Waukesha County, Milwaukee County, Lake Country, Jefferson County, Dane County, Dodge County and Washington County areas. Several agents in the office also their IRES designation (International Real Estate Specialist) so they can assist you with all your real estate needs in Wisconsin, the USA or anywhere in the WORLD!
When you are seriously looking or just browsing at real estate in Wisconsin, RE/MAX REALTY CENTER, Real Estate in Wisconsin, is the BEST resource to help you with all your needs and questions, whether a first time home buyer, relocating to or from the beautiful LAKE COUNTRY area, looking to invest or explore foreclosure opportunities or just thinking ahead to the future.
Lisa Bear is the broker/owner of RE/MAX Realty Center, Real Estate in Wisconsin (262-893-5555) is an experienced real estate agent in Waukesha County and the entire Milwaukee Metro area. Lisa thinks "outside of the BOX" and encourages her agents to do so as well. If you want creative options and exceptional marketing and service - look no further!
The RE/MAX Realty Center Office, has experienced agents with expertise in luxury home marketing, lake property experts, foreclosure and short sale specialists, investment and property management brokers and commercial brokers.
Our agents areas of service include, but are not limited to:
The prospering communities of Waukesha County including Delafield, Waukesha, Oconomowoc, Pewaukee, Waukesha, Sussex, Wales, New Berlin, Dousman, North Prairie, Mukwonago, Chenequa, Menomonee Falls, Brookfield, Elm Grove, Okauchee, Eagle, Muskego and Merton.
Great municipalities in Milwaukee County including Milwaukee, South Milwaukee, Wauwatosa, Hales Corners, Greenfield, Glendale, Franklin, Bayside, Brown Deer, Cudahy, Fox Point, Greendale, Shorewood, Oak Creek, St. Francis, West Allis and Whitefish Bay.
The hometown favorites of Washington County, Jefferson County and Dodge County including Watertown, Hartford, West Bend, Germantown, Jackson, Richfield, Ashippun, Lake Mills, Jefferson, Johnson Creek, Slinger and Erin.
There is no place like "WISCONSIN LAKES"
If lake living is what you desire then Lake Country is the place to be! If you are thinking about buying waterfront property in Wisconsin,
a little time invested in learning about waterfront living will pay
back sizeable dividends in matching your expectations to realities. Lake Country Living on one of Waukesha Countys great lakes as a full timer or vacationer is a must and there are some great lakes to choose. Nagawicka Lake, Pine Lake, Oconomowoc Lake, Beaver Lake, Okauchee Lake, Pewaukee Lake, Moose Lake, North Lake, Lake Keesus, Lac La Belle, Upper Nashotah, Lower Nashotah, Upper Genesee, Lowe Genesee, Middle Genesee, Upper Nemahbin, Lower Nemahbin, Fowler Lake, Golden Lake, Pretty Lake, Silver Lake, Waterville Lake, and Crooked Lake. Great lakes of the surrounding area also include Lake Michigan, Rock Lake, Big Cedar Lake, Little Cedar Lake, Pike Lake and Lake Ripley.
Your best source for Lake Country Living is RE/MAX REALTY CENTER, Real Estate in Wisconsin
RE/MAX REALTY CENTER, Real Estate in Wisconsin, 262-567-2455 or 262-893-5555, offer online markets, listing package and FOR SALE BY OWNER (FSBO) options, MLS search access, buyer agency and marketing that will exceed your expectations, all with outstanding service!
Your home purchase or sale is likely your largest investment, be sure you have an good agent you can trust! Real Estate in Wisconsin is an excellent investment, prices are superb, selection is great and rates are outstanding!!!
Ask us about our preferred vendors -- from lenders to help you finance your new purchase to contractors to help maintain!
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