South Mississippi Home Buying Guide

Tips for Prospective Home Buyers

Outside of buying the home itself, the most important decision you'll make when house hunting is selecting the person who will represent you in the search. As your personal guide and trustworthy agent, Moran Realty Company strives to give you the best of the best.

Prospective home buyers want the answer to “What do I need to do when I buy a house?” Follow this step-by-step guide to organizing the buying process and make buying a house simple and fun. Call us for more information.   

Making Buying a House Simple

Step 1: Decide to Buy

Before you even go looking for a home, you have to understand your needs. Think about the type of place you’re looking for.

• Are you looking for a lot of bedrooms and washrooms for your family?
• Do you want a pool in the backyard?
• Do you want to live close to a school or a mall?

Familiarize yourself with different types of ownership to help narrow down your perfect home:

• Freehold is when it’s all yours
• A condo is when you take care of the inside and pay your fees to an association
• A co-op is similar to a condo but you rent a unit in the building and pay maintenance and repair fees

Narrow down some qualities and it's time to look for a home.

Step 2: Hire an Agent

How do you choose the right agent for you? Pick carefully. They will be acting as your representative, and you will need someone to look out for your best interests. Get someone you can trust and someone who understands what you want. Here are a few suggestions:

• Jot down some names and numbers that you find on “For Sale” signs
• Ask friends and family for a recommendation
• Visit one of the local offices in your area

A great agent is someone who knows the area inside and out and offers you quality services to help you accomplish your goal.

Step 3: Find Your Home

Make sure you are financially ready. Make sure to have a budget when you go shopping, keeping in mind your down payments. This is a percentage of the total cost of a home that you’ll need to pay. The more money you put down, the more you’ll save on monthly payments and cost of borrowing.

Another important aspect is getting pre-approved for a mortgage. When the lender approves you for a mortgage, it gives you an idea of how much you can afford to buy.

Search for houses according to the different neighborhoods surrounding you, check newspaper listings and websites, and check out open houses in your area.

Step 4: Make an Offer

Not all offers are the same, and here’s where our real estate agents come in. The agent will help you with specific terms and conditions that will be specified, including the price you want to pay, financing conditions, or other items such as inclusions and exclusions.

Carefully look at the other details included in this sale, including appliances, chandeliers and minor renovations. Shorter or longer closing dates can also be specified in the offer. If there is something in the offer that doesn’t satisfy the seller, counter offers or negotiations can also be presented to help get a price that you think is fair.

Step 5: Close the Sale

Closing costs associated with the sale need to be paid either by or on the closing date, including mortgage application fees, inspections and legal fees. Once that’s taken care of, you have your new house.