First-Time Homebuyer’s Guide Review (Parts 9-10)
Chapter 3: Find a Home
The First-Time Homebuyer’s Guide is designed to help people navigate the process with confidence using a clearly defined, step-by-step approach. The following summary will serve as a review of Chapter 3, which outlines some great advice for finding your home.
Part 9: Finding the right real estate agent
Your real estate agent needs to be knowledgeable, friendly and accessible. Below are some important questions to ask during your first conversation with a prospective agent.
- What is your experience?
- Is this your full-time job?
- Do you charge up-front fees?
- How will you keep me informed about progress?
Part 10: Researching the neighborhood
To get the best idea of whether a given neighborhood is right for you, there is no substitute for immersing yourself in it. Gather your own evidence by driving the streets, walking the sidewalks and most importantly, talking to the people. This is a time-consuming commitment, however, and impractical for many first-time homebuyers. If you want to find the best neighborhoods without actually experiencing them, consider these four general topics when doing your research:
- Schools
- Attractions
- Accessibility
- Safety