What can you do if you can't afford to buy in a pricey real estate market? Should you wait for a downturn to buy a home? When you're buying a home in an expensive or inflated real estate market you may need to adjust your home-buying expectations.
No one really knows what will happen with real estate property prices over the short term. Over the long run, however, prices should continue to climb. So in ten years, the house you purchase today will probably be worth more.
As you look to buy a home you may notice real estate market forces at work. Real estate market prices may be high in popular metropolitan areas in part because more first time home buyers are entering the market. Learn about what could cause real estate market values to fall, including a loss of jobs.
Homes may be covered in stucco or synthetic stucco. Most problems are with synthetic stucco called EIFS (exterior insulation finishing system). Learn how a home inspection can help you discover moisture problems related to synthetic stucco.
When choosing a real estate agent to help you buy a house, choose a buyer's broker. Using a buyer's broker could help you save more than 5 percent on the purchase price of your home. A buyer's broker has the buyer's interests at heart - not the seller's.
You can't hire a professional home inspector to go with you to every showing. But you shouldn't need to. A savvy home buyer keeps his or her eyes open for red flags that could be signs of trouble.
