Tips for Buying a New Home

My wife and I recently purchased a new home in Tennessee. Here are some helpful hints we picked up along the way:

1. Use all of the online resources available. Almost every state and local government has a website where you can research real estate information. The data on home sales, taxes, and neighborhoods is invaluable when you are shopping for a home. We were able to find out the most recent sale prices in the neighborhood we selected, and we didn't have to rely on a real estate agent to get the data for us. Doing the research yourself will make you more knowledgeable about the market, which is key to making a good purchase.

2. Be realistic about how much you can spend. Try to buy a home in a price range that allows you to put down 20%. If you put down less than this, you will have to pay PMI (private mortgage insurance) to protect the lender in case you default on the loan. I know that 20% is a lot, but it's not unrealistic. You may not be able to do it on your first home, but hopefully you can on your second home. The profits from the sale of my condo enabled my husband and me to have more than enough for the 20% down payment on our home. But we didn't put it all down on the home - we saved some of the profits for the unexpected expenses that come with buying a home. We suggest that you do the same.

3. Shop for a home in the winter, preferably around the holidays. Since most people just aren't interested in buying a home when they are trying to deal with the holidays, you can pretty much be one of the few buyers out there. We bought our home right before Christmas, and it was definitely a buyers market. We had our pick of homes and were able to underbid on the asking price, even though we live in one of the hottest real estate markets in the country.

4. Use a smaller mortgage company that can offer personal service. People tend to go with large, well-known mortgage companies, since that's all they know. But the smaller, regional companies provide excellent customer service, and can often give you better rates than the big companies. Since they don't advertise and instead rely on word-of-mouth, they have to be good in order to get your service. We started off with a big-name company, but in the end, we went with a regional company because they had better rates and better customer service.

5. Always have a home inspection. I think most people know this fact already, but it is really important in areas with a hot real estate market. It can be easy to get caught up in bidding wars, and to want to get a house at all costs. Some friends of ours wanted a house so badly that not only did they overbid, but they also waived the home inspection. They got the house - and right along with it they got several thousand dollars worth of damage that would have been found in an inspection. As a final note, try to remember that buying a home doesn't have to be scary. It's very exciting to own your own home, so think of all the good things that will come once you have made it through the home-buying process. If you follow the advice above, then you should be well-equipped to make it through unscathed.

6. Save money and shop for your home insurance the easy way! Yeah, I know this is a shameless plug for our web site, but seriously, whatever web site you do use, get online and shop around for your home insurance. You can get multiple home insurance quotes from HometownQuotes.Com or any of a dozen or so reputable companies online. Go to a search engine, like Yahoo! and type in 'home insurance quotes.' This is the best way because if you get

Matt McWilliams is one of the co-founders of HometownQuotes.Com, an online insurance quotes web site. He is originally from Pinebluff, NC and graduated from Middle< Tennessee State University in 2002. He is considered an expert in the field of online insurance and finding new ways to help consumers save money on their insurance.

---

Private Health Insurance: A Sense of Dissatisfaction

The three C's, customization, consumerization and customer-satisfaction, seem to be... Read More

Millions of Americans have No Life Insurance

Only 61% of adult Americans have life insurance (down from... Read More

CarInsurance.com Is Available At All Dealerships With Internet Access!

You are ready to buy your first car. Researching the... Read More

Family Health Insurance Plans - How to Find The Best Provider Online

Family health insurance plans typically need to offer more coverage... Read More

Health Savings Accounts (HSA): Do I Still Submit My Bills to Insurance When Using HSA Money?

The Health Savings Account (HSA) is becoming well-known as an... Read More

Insurance Claim: Collecting Your Lost Wages

A couple months ago you were toolin' on down the... Read More

The Life Insurance Quote Business is Booming, but is the Insurance Quote Accurate?

The life insurance quote business online is booming. Not only... Read More

An Intro To Auto Insurance

Although premiums, policies and prices vary widely, the mandate does... Read More

About Online Term Life Insurance Rates

Online term life insurance ratesHow simple it is today finding... Read More

Talking to Your Parents About Insurance

Who can you talk to about auto insurance? Insurance agents... Read More

Choosing the Best Life Insurance Option for You

Life insurance in the UK is becoming more and more... Read More

Car Insurance Monitoring for Discounted Insurance Rates - Privacy Devouring Monster Eating Us One Bi

For a price, would you let car insurer along for... Read More

How to Match the Right Insurance Policy to the 4 Stages of Life

As we go through life our needs change. A Young... Read More

Protecting Your Expatriate Family

If you and your family relocate overseas, one of your... Read More

A Free Term Life Insurance Quote Is Only Easy To Obtain

By searching online for life insurance, you can get a... Read More

UK Young Driver Motor Insurance - Build Your Own No Claims Bonus or Insure through Your Parents

For may young drivers, affording the costs of motor insurance... Read More

Medical Bills - Evaluating Your Personal Injury Insurance Claim

The value of a personal injury claim has a direct... Read More

Guide to Life Insurance

Here is a useful guide to life insurance. Simply put,... Read More

What to Look for in Good Health Insurance

Health insurance is a kind of protection that provides payment... Read More

The Ups and Downs of Temporary Health Insurance

If you're a recent college graduate, or in between jobs,... Read More

Term Life Insurance Help

Life insurance can be a very scary thing. If you... Read More

Apply Online for Temporary Health Insurance

There are times when you'll find yourself temporarily without health... Read More

Tips for First Time Insurance Buyers

The are many scary things in this world. Buying insurance... Read More

Consumer Driven Health Plans [ CDHP ]

Do you know that skyrocketing health care costs have been... Read More

5 Steps To Cheap Car Insurance Premiums

Although car insurance is compulsory, it's not necessary to pay... Read More