10 Things You Should Do Before You Buy A Home.
You should always hire a Realtor® to help you through the buying process. As a buyer you have some work to do as well. Make sure you do your research before you get under contract!
- Drive around the areas and neighborhoods you think you would like to live in. You’ll be surprised how much you can learn by doing that. Try it different times of the day, different days of the week.
- Drive your commute to work! Yes, at the time you actually drive to and from work. The Waze app is a great tool to have when living in a crazy city like H-Town.
- Use google maps to see what’s around your home. Check at least 2 miles out. Make sure you’ll be comfortable living with what is around you. Also, make sure your basic needs are covered.
- Talk to potential neighbors, you will find good and bad things while doing so, but it will always help you make a more informed decision.
- Check out the crime map from the city or county depending where you are.
- Look into the school district and the specific school you are zoned to. Good website to use other than TEA is greatschools.org
- Is he property in a flood zone? Look into FEMA maps or call your insurance provider.
- If it’s a new community; how long will it take to be all built out?
- Do research on the builder specially if you are buying new construction. Your agent should be able to explain to you how the builder works, but it’s always good to google them and see what past costumers have to say about them. Keep in mind that people tend to write the bad stuff not the good stuff.
- Ask your realtor for any information you might think it’s relevant for the purchase. If they can’t provide it, they will point you in the right direction.
The more and better informed you are the better decision you will make. Buying a home is one of the biggest investments in your life. Make sure it’s the right one for you.