Redlands Homebuying 101

Since your home is probably the most expensive purchase you’ll ever make, you want to be sure you’re making the right decision. We’re here to help you make that decision by providing all the information you need about the home buying process.

Are you ready for homeownership?

Nothing gives you a sense of pride like homeownership. Be prepared to experience all kinds of emotions from excitement to fear and a little anxiety. We would like to allay all your fears by giving you the information you need. Knowledge is power! We empower Redlands homebuyers so you will make smarter homebuying decisions!

First of all, are you ready for the responsibility of owning a home?

Assess your readiness for homeownership. Now is the time for a reality check. Are you ready to own your home emotionally, physically and financially?

How do I know what is important in my new home?

Now is the time to figure out what size of home you need. Where do you want to live? Which city or neighborhood would you like to live? Does your first home need to be near your office or a particular school? How many bedrooms and bathrooms do you need?  Once you've come up with these criteria, your home search will be much easier. If you need help with what you need in your next home, be sure to read our article Needs Versus Wants.

As a Redlands Homebuyer – do I need a Realtor?

As your real estate professionals, we will help you with all the details involved in buying your first home. You should expect your Realtor to have many years of experience with all the details involved in buying a home. Because of our combined years of experience and expertise, we will make your homebuying experience a positive, even enjoyable one. You can expect to get the most home for your money and make sure you're getting the best representation. For a more thorough explanation “What We Do For You”, take a look at our article on the topic now!

How much house can you afford?

One of the biggest concerns for first-time buyers is how much home they can afford to buy. There are no simple answers as there are many factors that must be considered such as your income, how much debt you owe, what kind of mortgage is right for you, along with other considerations.

As a general rule of thumb, most lenders suggest that the mortgage not exceed 33% of your gross income. This calculation will put you in the ballpark for the amount you can afford. Together, we will assess your financial situation and a lender will pre-qualify you for a loan, which will tell you how much you're eligible to borrow. Take a look at the mortgage calculator, to see how interest rates and loan amounts impact your monthly payment. If you would like to be pre-qualified, take a look now.

Which mortgage is right for me?

There are many types of mortgage options available to first-time homebuyers. Frankly, it can sometimes be a daunting task to figure out which mortgage is right for you. For more information, visit the Real Estate Glossary. Together with a professional lender partner, we will analyze your financial situation to determine which mortgage program best fits your needs.

How do I start looking for my new home?

Once you've made the decision now is the time to buy your first home and you are pre-qualified, the fun stuff begins. Now you can begin your home search. So how do you do it?

As your Realtors, we will help you search for your first home based on your search criteria. We will review the inventory in the location of your choice to find the most suitable homes for you to preview. All you have to do is look at the houses that meet your search criteria and decide which ones you would like to preview.

You may use this site’s search feature for all available homes for sale in the Multiple Listing Service to see any you might be interest in. Once you have found several homes of interest, be sure to save your “favorites” in your property organizer, then we will schedule a showing for each home you have selected.

Okay, now you've found “the” house, what’s next?

As your Realtor partners, we will help you through this entire process - from making your offer to the closing of your new home.

Buying your first home is a major accomplishment. We guarantee the process will be exhilarating with as little stress as possible. By following these steps, you will experience a positive homebuying outcome.

If you are thinking about buying your first Inland Empire area home, contact us today and we will meet to discuss your homebuying needs.