Home Buying Tips

Home buying is a big deal, but it doesn't have to be difficult.

People buy homes for many different reasons. Most buy for the sole purpose of living the American Dream, others use the home buying market as an investment tool, and some even use the margins inherent in real estate transactions as their daily income.

There are many factors one needs to consider when buying a house, whether to live in or as an investment opportunity.

First and most important is do the research. Know what you're buying.

One of the most important factors to research when buying a home is location. City, State, and, even neighborhood should all be considered carefully.

We've heard it said over and over again. "Location, Location, Location"

So why is location so important? Well, unless you plan to live in the house forever, eventually, you or your estate will want to sell it. You want the home to appreciate in value. You also want to be able to sell quickly. What you don't want is a house for sale sign sitting in your front yard for years.

It doesn't matter how wonderful your property is, you'll have a very difficult time trying to sell your home for top dollar in a bad neighborhood in a reasonable amount of time. This doesn't necessarily mean that it's a bad home. It simply means that there will be less demand. That's not what you want when you decide or have to sell your house.

One needs to apply a neighborhood litmus test when buying a home. Things to consider include schools, nearby growth and development, and convenience. Local governmental agencies often list a school district's rankings. This information can also be found on the Internet. If all else fails, real estate agents have access to this information and can be very helpful. The value of your home will appreciate much more if it is located in a neighborhood with good schools.

New construction nearby also plays a great role in improving the value of a house and should definitely be considered when buying a house. A neighborhood which is on the outskirts of a new development will benefit from the higher prices of the newly constructed homes. If, however, the neighborhood exhibits signs of decline, one should think twice before buying that house.

One other item to consider when looking for a house for sale is it's proximity to places of convenience like shopping centers, transportation hubs, and parks. Remember, someone else will be house buying from you in the future. It will happen. And... They will be looking at the same factors at that time.

Real Estate auctions online and offline.

If you are interested in either buying a house to live in or buying a house or property for an investment, you should look into real estate auctions. Many houses that have foreclosed are put up for auction, sometimes saving the buyer tens of thousands of dollars. If you would like to get into this business, here are a few tips. Contact your county or city sheriffs department. They usually have a listing of real estate auctions in your area and they can provide you with the date and time and exactly what is needed to place a bid. You can also look at your local paper under government auctions for information on where the next available auction is being held. If you really want to find the good deals, then you will have to do some research. Remember these auctions will save you tens of thousands of dollars so there is a lot of competition. You may want to sign up with a company that provides you with breaking news on which houses will be on the market. This way you can have plenty of time to analyze hundreds of properties to find the best property to bid on. There are also services that help you step by step find a great auction property, bid on it and then sell it immediately for a quick profit. These programs are usually inexpensive and can provide you great tips and tricks on how to get the most return on your investment. So if you're looking to get into the real estate investment business, take a look at real estate auctions. I was interested to find that there are online auctions and sales sites. You can see an example of an online auction by visiting http://www.newspecialsanddeals.com. Owning real estate is a basic desire in most of us. Buying it at a discounted price today is the way to go. As real estate prices rise, it becomes harder to 'find that deal'. Take care and do your research, you will be rewarded immensely.