DETERMINING YOUR NEEDS 

There are many things to consider when buying a home, whether it is lifestyle, schools, community, convenience to job, shopping or highways. Determining what your needs and wants are is as big a decision as the cost of the home. Your HRG Agent can help answer all your questions.

As you begin your search consider these types of questions, all of them will be personal to you and there is no right answer, but there is just right for you:

What are the 10 most important things you would like in a house (consider pool, garage, air conditioning, age of home, type of construction, size of lot, acreage, fireplace, number of.bedrooms, baths, etc) Make sure you put them in order of importance – you may not find all 10 things in one house, but you may find the top 5!

Also of importance is an understanding of the local market conditions. Your HRG agent will be able to supply you with an in-depth analysis of the current trends in real estate for the types of homes and area you are looking in.

What are you looking for in a neighborhood/community – neighborhoods and communities offer many different things to different people. Consider your current family needs as well as look into the future. Do you or will you need public transportation? Are the quality of schools right for you and your family? Is it near a college campus? Is shopping convenient? Are their any parks in the area? Is there a Homeowners Association?

An HRG agent can be a valuable asset.

HOW TO QUALIFY 

Determining what you can afford and getting pre-approved will help you and your agent determine where and how to find your new home.

Pre-approval helps you:

• Establish the right price range for your home search, maximize your time investment and avoid potential disappointment.
• Strengthen your bargaining power with the seller, who may be more flexible with terms knowing that you are already approved and can buy.

This process can seem intimidating the first time, but with your HRG Agent and your Mortgage Consultant at your side, they will be able to help you navigate this process quickly and easily.

Once you have been pre-approved, there are a few things to remember:

• Don't make any major purchases that would create debt of any kind.
• Don't move money around from one bank or investment account to another.
• Changing jobs doesn't necessarily hurt you depending on the circumstances.

And once you are pre-approved you can start your search, armed with the knowledge of the price range you qualify for and feel most comfortable with.