StraightTalk Home Buying Guide
Introduction
Written by Remar Sutton
StraightTalk Spokesperson
A home! You already know that buying one is a huge decision, whether it’s your first purchase or your tenth. And it is a pretty exciting decision, too, isn’t it?
Well, here’s the catch: The decision to buy is a lot easier than the actual process of buying. If you don’t know what you’re doing—and if you don’t stay in control of the process, even if you’re using the best real estate agent—your money and your sanity could be at risk.
And here’s the problem: You won’t know you’ve wasted your money, or made the wrong decisions until after you’ve bought the place! Loss of sanity can follow shortly thereafter.
Corning Credit Union doesn’t want you to be stressed like that! That’s why we’ve developed this guide just for our members. Spend some time here, and you’ll be a very smart cookie when it comes to finding the right home.
Here’s why the guide works: We’re not trying to sell you something. We’re trying to educate you! Tell you answers some people don’t want you to know. Get you to think about things you might not think about.
Everybody is trying to sell you something, when it comes to a home. We give you unbiased information that makes you smart. Isn’t that what you need?
REMAR SUTTON
StraightTalk Spokesperson
Table of Contents
Chapter 1. Planning—Doing Your Homework Before Looking for a Home
- Buy or Rent?
- Types of Home
- Location, Location, Location
- What Do You Desire in a Home? Needs vs. Wants
- How Much Home Can You Afford?
- Is There a Best Time to Buy?
Chapter 2. Shopping for a Home
- Understand and Have Your Financing in Place First
- Shopping on Your Own
- Working With an Agent or Real Estate Broker
- Types of Agents
- Finding and Evaluating an Agent
- What About FSBO Homes (For Sale by Owner)?
- What About Shopping for Homes on the Internet
- Making an Offer for the Property You Wish to Buy
- What is a Good Initial Offer for the House?
- Negotiating the Sale
- What Steps are Needed to Prepare for Closing on Your New Home?
- Time for the Closing
Chapter 4. Moving into Your New Home
Chapter 5. Relocation Resources
Prepared for Corning Credit Union by Remar Sutton & Associates, July 2004. Reviewed and updated May 2007. All rights reserved.
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