[Showcase Submission] [Social Media] [Buying A House]

[Lilac]

Buying a house

Buying a property is an exciting yet daunting task. It’s the biggest purchase you can make in life so you want to be hopeful yet realistic. My aunt is a real estate agent and growing up I've seen her work hard helping clients buy and sell houses while also buying/selling properties herself as investments. I admire her expertise in real estate investing; hopefully in the next year I can take the big step and buy a house of my own.

Here are some steps and tips that can help in making the big step that applies no matter which geographic area you live in. If you live in a competitive area where buyers outnumber sellers, be sure to be prepared ahead of time by having a 1) real estate agent, 2) lender, and 3) home inspector in place who can respond promptly when you need assistance.

1. Choosing a good real estate agent is one of the most important tasks. They will help you go through the process of buying a home from start to finish: figure out which neighborhood you should live in, tour the house with you, how much to put in offer for the house, go through the contracts, and move to the new place. Buying is a complicated process and having a good agent makes this process go a lot smoother. Try to get a good agent either through word of mouth or reviews. Make sure they're accredited in the area you are looking to live in.

1. Lender would be the bank who would give you the loan to purchase a house. Apply for a loan with them, and they would check your credit score and income to see if you have the ability to pay back the loan. They’ll give you a preapproval letter which you would need when you want to make an offer on a house. Lender can help you assess the maximum price of house you can afford based on your finances.

1. Home inspector would be the inspector who would be able to tell you if there are flaws in the house (mold, structural issues, and water damage) that could impact your decision to purchase. Inspector should be accredited and preferably have a good reputation.

Once you have the right people in place, you would want to think about the neighborhood you want to live in. Is the neighborhood thriving? Desirable areas are the ones that have proximity to amenities (shopping mall, grocery store, park, playground, schools, etc). If the house is near the commuting distance of major or growing companies (e.g. Amazon) and/or be in a good school district, then the value of the home is generally expected to go up. Go for a safe neighborhood in which you can walk freely at night; if you see poor unkempt neighborhood with graffiti sprayed on road/sidewalk and trash lying around, you should think twice about living there.

Don't forget to think about the characteristics you would want in a dream house. Maybe there's no such thing as a dream house; be reasonable with your wants because characteristics you seek in a house may be hard to find in the neighborhood you would like to live in. Do you prefer a single story house or a two story house? Basement or no basement? How many bedrooms and bathrooms?

Universal characteristics of a house that are desirable are following:

Good sunlight
No structural issues (has flat floor and doesn't have cracks on walls)
Well kept front yard and backyard
Ample garage space
Good neighborhood vibe
Short commute to work or schools

Once you have the desired characteristics and the professionals ready to help you, you are on the right track. Even if you find a house you really like, you may see some setbacks such as lender rejecting your loan application or seller not accepting your offer because they found another potential buyer whose offer they prefer. So even with setbacks, don't give up and be positive about this whole process and you'll eventually make the most valuable purchase.

However, there's no need to be pressured to buy a house when you're not ready. If you aren't sure about which neighborhood you want to live in and are still figuring out the finances, it would be better to rent for a time being. Buying a property is a huge investment and it should be thought out carefully.

Hope this information is helpful and thank you for reading <3

 

[Stannie]

Good tips. Honestly, I recently moved out and was pretty inexperienced. Wish I had done more research but oh well, we live and learn!

 

[ARandomFan]

As someone who is planning on moving out so on this is really helpful~ thank you!!

 

[Seriously]

Ummm, an original submission idea for sure, thank you

 

[yongfilms]

looks like I'll be turning to you for real estate advice when I plan on moving out thank you nara~

 

[Lilac]

As someone who is planning on moving out so on this is really helpful~ thank you!!

I'm glad this is helpful for you

 

[Lilac]

looks like I'll be turning to you for real estate advice when I plan on moving out thank you nara~

Thank you Yong~ I'm not the best person for real estate, but anytime

Ummm, an original submission idea for sure, thank you

Jsjskd I know it's not that original but thank you

 

[kimsguardian]

waaaiitt,, so you're actually a real estate agent, queen??
jkjkjkjkkk
well, what do you expect from a queen? she owns a castle~

 

[Bellamy]

This submission is so unexpected but cool. It shows that you know a lot about the theme and these are really good advices,great job Nara!

 

[Lilac]

waaaiitt,, so you're actually a real estate agent, queen??
jkjkjkjkkk
well, what do you expect from a queen? she owns a castle~

Thank you I'm not an agent tho

 

[abra]

I'll try to remember this when/if the time comes

 

[Chiharu]

A very educational post I'll keep these things in mind whenever I finally move out and get my own place