What First Time Buyers Need to Know

When the time is right for a starter home many buyers discover the amount they want to pay will not get them the home of their dreams. 

It generally comes down to making choices and decisions about what is really important.  Is a third bedroom worth giving up driving a new car, is living in a great neighborhood more important than having a yard and will granite counter tops compensate for driving longer to work?

Making smart choices and compromises is the key to success for many first time buyers.  Location plays a very important part of the decision making.  Living closer to downtown Sacramento can be more expensive than homes in the suburbs and selecting which communities you are willing to look in can make a big difference in price. 

Real estate experts generally agree, buyers should select homes to purchase which they can live in for at least 5-years and longer if possible.  The wants and desires of singles and couples without children usually differ from the needs of families where space and schools are more important.  A survey from the National Association of Realtors indicates, as many as 75 percent of first time buyers compromised on the home purchase with price and size the most common.

Four things to consider in considering buying a first home:

1. Is buying the right decision?  Is this the right time to be in the same place and home for five to seven years?
2. Do you have the financial resources to buy and maintain a home?  The down payment and monthly mortgage is not all of the costs of owning a home.  Consider property tax, insurance, home owner association fees, utilities and maintenance expense.
3. Understand what you want and the compromises you are willing to make including such things as price, location, space, neighborhood and amenities.
4. Understand what you are buying.  Never ever buy a home without having inspections and, better yet, inspections done by professionals.  This will give you a good understanding of the condition of the home and any issues which may need to be addressed as part of the purchase process.