Are you getting ready to buy a new house? You may be excited and looking forward to having a whole new environment to call your home. But there are a few things that you have to take care of before you sign on the dotted line. Here are the 3 most important things you will need to know before you agree to buy a house.
1. What Shape is the Roof In?
The condition that the roof of a house is in is a good indicator of just how safe the house is to live in. It’s also a good way to gauge how long the house will last. If the roof is brand new and in great shape, you have nothing to worry about. If the house is old and so is the roof, you may have some issues.
In most cases, the owner will let you take a look around the property. If you have a sharp eye, you can tell if there any problems with the roof. You may notice some humps or slants in the ceiling or strange watery stains on the walls. If these are present, it’s a good idea to insist on a roof repair.
You may agree to take on a house with a questionable roof as part of a “you bought it, you fix it” deal. But if you do so, you will need to know the number of local roofing companies Austin homeowners can rely on for expert work. This is one area where you can’t afford to cut corners or skimp on quality.
2. Get to Know the Surrounding Neighborhood
Your next step should be to spend a bit of quality time getting to know the neighborhood around the home you are thinking of moving into. This will be the best way to make sure that the decision you are weighing is the right one. You want to be sure the area you move into won’t cause buyer’s remorse.
What is the real value of the home you are thinking of buying> It may be a very good idea for you to hire an independent appraiser to ascertain this figure on your behalf? You may also wish to investigate the average level of home values in the surrounding area. This will give you crucial data that you can use.
Finally, consider things like whether the crime rate is rising or falling. What is the quality of the schools, hospitals, and shopping centers in the area? The more conveniences you have near to your home, the better.
3. Know What Your Credit Score Is
Another very important detail that you should have full awareness of before you commit to buying a house is the true level of your current credit score. There are several reasons why you need to know this number. For one thing, if your credit has been damaged by poor buying decisions or a bankruptcy, it may be lower than most lenders will accept.
As a result, you may find yourself having a great deal of difficulty in securing the loan you need to buy a vehicle, much less a house. If this is the case, you need to do all in your power to get your credit score back to a high level. There are several methods you can adopt to do some quick build-up moves.
You should also look over your credit report. There may be mistakes on the document that are currently keeping your score lower than it should be. If this is the case, the time for you to challenge them and get them removed is now. You need to be in the best possible financial shape to afford to buy a new house.
Know All the Details Before You Buy
It’s crucial to know all the details of the arrangement before you agree to buy a home. This is a decision that, once you have made it, you won’t be able to back out of so easily. For this reason, you need to be upon all of the terms of your mortgage. You also need to know every area that needs fixing in the home.
