Buying a condo can be overwhelming, there are many moving parts. Below are 15 things you want to avoid to help make the buying process a whole lot smoother.
1. Continue to Rent Because it’s Cheaper
Actually, right now, in our marketplace, the cost of renting is higher than what homeownership would be at these amazing prices and interest rates. Not to mention the fact that rents go up on average by at least 3 percent per year, so a $1,000 rent today would be $1,344 in ten years. Even more importantly, you’ll be missing out on all of the mortgage interest deductions, which will likely save you thousands of dollars.
2. Wait for Prices to Fall More
Guess what — prices are already starting to rebound. But even if they weren’t, there’s a good chance interest rates will be climbing, which means the mortgage payment could actually be higher, even if prices were to fall a tad.
3. Wait for Rates to Get Lower
They could, but in my thirty-four years of selling real estate, these are the absolute lowest they’ve ever been. The federal government has put downward pressure on consumer prices to avoid inflation and has artificially driven down interest rates as well. That’s all about to end.
4. Can’t Afford Your Dream Home & Decide to Wait
Your dream home will be constantly evolving. What works today won’t work for you in the coming years. Your income will change, and so will your standards. Why not take advantage of this opportunity today to have a stepping stone to your dream home tomorrow?
5. Decide the Economy is too Scary
First, stop watching NBC and CNN and hearing all the doomsday prophets who cover the economic news. They pretend to have a crystal ball, when in fact, they are largely full of hype. Be mindful of the economy, but remember, everything is cyclical, and we are now on course for a new direction.
6. It’s a Fantastic Home, but I need to See More
When will enough be enough? If you are clear on what your needs and wants are, and your gut tells you this the “the one”, don’t wait — you might just lose out.
7. It’s Priced Well, but I want a Steal
Don’t we all? The reality is, if it’s priced well, another buyer will also appreciate the value and may just swoop it up, while you continue to “play not to lose” rather than “play to win”.
8. Buying Direct from a For-Sale-by-Owner Will Save Me Money
When it comes to for-sale-by-owners, they aren’t going to be priced lower just because they’re not listed with an agent. In fact, I have worked with many people who bought a for-sale-by-owner property without consulting a Realtor and paid way over market value for the home.
9. I’m Having Cold Feet and Want to Back Out
We deal with this all the time — it’s called buyer’s remorse. Did I look at enough homes? Did I pay too much? Will something else better come on the market? Once you’re under contract for a home, stop looking. My suggestion is to breathe and remember why you fell in love with the home in the first place.
10. Backing out Because of the Radon Test
Radon occurs in nature; virtually every home (and even the outdoors) has some level of radon. The EPA has set some of the toughest standards in the world when it comes to radon. Don’t panic if the radon level comes in above the EPA guidelines, a mitigation system can be installed. Frankly, one of the safest homes may just be one where you know what the radon levels are and the seller has installed a mitigation system, reducing the radon to nearly zero.
11. Not Trilled with my Real Estate Agent — Yikes, now What
I think it’s important that you make a decision to work with just one real estate agent because they can show you every property on the market. They way you show commitment is by entering what can be called a buyer broker agreement. Find out if you have the legal right to exit this agreement if it’s truly clear that your business relationship isn’t working. My team allows termination with 24-hours notice because if the working relationship is strained, there’s no point in continuing down a difficult path.
12. I’m Going to use my Divorce Attorney for Real Estate
Different attorneys specialize in different areas of law and rarely do they cross into fields not related to their practice. When choosing an attorney, pick ones that a real estate attorney, rather than a divorce attorney or a litigation attorney. After all, you wouldn’t go to your dentist for open heart surgery!
13. Aunt Sally Hasn’t Sold a Home in Months, but I feel I need to Work with Her
Aunt Sally may be the sweetest lady in the world, but this is one of the biggest decisions you are going to make in your lifetime. Tell Aunt Sally that you value your friendship so much you don’t want a real estate transaction gone sour to jeopardize the precious relationship.
14. Save Money by not Having a Building Inspection
There are a few times when it might not make a lot of sense to have a building inspection, but 95% of the time, I think they’re worth it. In fact, not only will they save you money in the long run, they’ll help educate you on the ins and outs of what it takes to run the home.
15. Bite off More than you can Chew
Lending practices continue to evolve. Some lenders allow you to stretch beyond your rational comfort level, so pay attention to it. Living with constant financial stress just isn’t worth it. Try to get most of your needs and wants satisfied, but not if it makes you ill whenever the bills come in.
The biggest mistake of them all is NOT BUYING.
