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Jennifer Bunker
CRS, GRI
Owner/Broker
Coldwater Creek
Properties
Utah's Wasatch
Front
Northern Utah 84405
Office:
801.475-6025
Cell:
801-791-0365
Fax:
801-475.6027
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10 Things to Take the Trauma Out of Homebuying |
1. Find a real estate
agent that's simpatico. Homebuying is not only a big
financial commitment, but also an emotional one. It's
critical that the agent you chose is both skilled and a
good fit with your personality.
2. Remember, there's no "right" time to buy, any more than
there's a right time to sell. If you find a home now,
don't try to second-guess the interest rates or the
housing market by waiting. Changes don't usually occur
fast enough to make that much difference in price, and a
good home won't stay on the market long.
3. Don't ask for too many
opinions. It's natural to want reassurance for such a big
decision, but too many ideas will make it much harder to
make a decision.
4. Accept that no house is ever perfect. Focus in on the
things that are most important to you and let the minor
ones go.
5. Don't try to be a killer negotiator. Negotiation is
definitely a part of the real estate process, but trying
to "win" by getting an extra-low price may lose you the
home you love.
6. Remember your home doesn't exist in a vacuum. Don't get
so caught up in the physical aspects of the house
itself—room size, kitchen—that you forget such issues as
amenities, noise level, etc., that have a big impact on
what it's like to live in your new home.
7. Don't wait until you've found a home and made an offer
to get approved for a mortgage, investigate insurance
availability, and consider a schedule for moving.
Presenting an offer contingent on a lot of unresolved
issues will make your bid much less attractive to sellers.
8. Factor in maintenance and repair costs in your
post-home buying budget. Even if you buy a new home, there
will be some costs. Don't leave yourself short and let
your home deteriorate.
9. Accept that a little buyer's remorse is inevitable and
will probably pass. Buying a home, especially for the
first time, is a big commitment, but it also yields big
benefits.
10. Choose a home first because you love it; then think
about appreciation. While U.S. homes have appreciated an
average of 5.4 percent annually over from 1998 to 2002, a
home's most important role is as a comfortable, safe place
to live.
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How High Tech is Your
Home? |
If the latest
technology or entertainment options are important in your
new home, add the following questions to your buyer's
checklist.
1. Are there enough jacks in every room for cable TV and
high-speed Internet hookups?
2. Are
there enough telephone extensions or jacks?
3. Is the home prewired for home theater or multi-room
audio and video?
4. Does the home have a local area network for linking
computers?
5. Does the home already have wiring for DSL or other
high-speed Internet connection?
6. Does the home have multizoning heating and cooling
controls with programmable thermostats?
7. Does the homes have multiroom lighting controls,
window-covering controls, or other home automation
features?
8. Is the home wired with multipurpose in-wall wiring that
allows for reconfigurations to update services as
technology changes?
Visit the Consumer Electronics Association (www.ce.org/techhomerating)
for a complete Tech Home™ Rating Checklist. |
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10 Questions to
Ask a Home Inspector |
1. What are your
qualifications? Are you a member of the American
Association of Home Inspectors?
2. Do you have a current license? Inspectors are not
required to be licensed in every state.
3. How many inspections of properties such as this do you
do each year?
4. Do you have a list of past clients I can contact?
5. Do you carry professional errors and omission
insurance? May I have a copy of the policy?
6. Do you provide any guarantees of your work?
7. What specifically will the inspection cover?
8. What type of report will I receive after the
inspection?
9. How long will the inspection take and how long will it
take to receive the report?
10. How much will the inspection
cost? |
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What Your
Home Inspection Should Cover |
Siding: Look for dents
or buckling
Foundations: Look for cracks or water seepage
Exterior Brick: Look for cracked
bricks or mortar pulling away from bricks
Insulation: Look for condition, adequate rating for
climate (the higher the R value, the more effective the
insulation is)
Doors and Windows: Look for loose or tight fits, condition
of locks, condition of weatherstripping
Roof: Look for age, conditions of flashing, pooling water,
buckled shingles, or loose gutters and downspouts
Ceilings, walls, and moldings: Look for loose pieces, dry
wall that is pulling away.
Porch/Deck: Loose railings or step, rot
Electrical: Look for condition of fuse box/circuit
breakers, number of outlets in each room
Plumbing: Look for poor water pressure, banging pipes,
rust spots or corrosion that indicate leaks, sufficient
insulation
Water Heater: Look for age, size adequate for house, speed
of recovery, energy rating.
Furnace/Air Conditioning: Look for age, energy rating.
Furnaces are rated by annual fuel utilization efficiency;
the higher the rating, the lower your fuel costs. However,
other factors such as payback period and other operating
costs, such as electricity to operate motors.
Garage: Look for exterior in good repair; condition of
floor—cracks, stains, etc.; condition of door mechanism.
Basement: Look for water leakage, musty smell.
Attic: Look for adequate ventilation, water leaks from
roof.
Septic Tanks (if applicable): Adequate absorption field
capacity for the percolation rate in your area and the
size of your family.
Driveways/Sidewalks: Look for cracks, heaving pavement,
crumbling near edges, stains. |
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How
Comprehensive is Your Home Warranty? |
Check your home
warranty policy to see which of the following items are
covered. Also check to see if the policy covers the full
replacement cost of an item.
Plumbing
Electrical Systems
Water Heater
Furnace
Heating Ducts
Water Pump
Dishwasher
Stove/Cooktop/Ovens
Microwave
Refrigerator
Washer/Dryer
Swimming Pool (may be optional) |
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