Buying Your First Home – Make a List

Whenever you're shopping for a house, you always want to spend as little as you can to get a residence and property that suit your needs. While being a careful negotiator is one way to accomplish this goal, there are some other strategies that you can think about that will provide you with much more value. While some of these ideas require a bit of work, you'll be left in a better financial situation than the average homeowner.

When you finally find the right apartment and sign a lease, you cannot wait to move in. But before you do, you need to go through a process called a walk-through. This is an appointment during which both you and the landlord will walk through the apartment together. The point of the appointment is to make sure everything is safe, point out things that need fixing, and make note of damage that's already been done so you don't get blamed for it later.

Whether you are relocating for work, buying a home where your child plans to attend college, or have another reason altogether, buying a home out of state can be uniquely challenging. You don't have intimate local knowledge of neighborhoods or school districts, and you don't have the luxury of spending weeks or months keeping an eye on "for sale" signs that pop up over time. In order to navigate this unique real estate challenge, just follow these three tips when looking at homes for sale out of state:

There is an ongoing debate as to whether good schools increase property prices or affluent homeowners (who can afford expensive houses) give rise to good schools. The connection may be two-way, but it is also true that selling a house in the neighborhood of a good school is different from selling one in a bad school district. Here are four things you should know when selling a house in a good school district:

If you're in the market for a home, you have likely made a wish list of features, locations and home styles that you love. Once you've narrowed down the field, however, you may feel a bit overwhelmed with your choices. Read on for the signs that tell you "this is the one". 1. You can't wait to go inside: If just the appearance of the home makes your heart swell, it could be a sign that you've just pulled up to the right house.

Not only does your home likely represent one of the largest purchases you'll ever make, you also should be prepared to pay some upfront money at the closing. You should have a fairly accurate estimate of closing costs several weeks prior to your actual closing, but knowing what to expect is important. Read on to learn more about what closing costs to expect when you close on your new home.

Whether you were born with a chronic illness or you found out later, you are likely used to routine hospital visits. Living with an illness that you will have forever can affect your life dramatically, but you are still more than capable of buying a home when you have an income and savings. If you want to become a homeowner and feel confident about where you live while having a chronic illness, you will want to look for features that will give you peace of mind.