If you are starting the process of finding a new home, there are many steps you can take to help make your home buying experience a rewarding one.

• Find the area that is best for you. Start by driving around the neighborhoods you are considering and check out open houses in those areas to get accustomed to the types of homes that are available and what the inventory and prices are in those areas. You can also use the Home Search feature on www.NewmanSellsHomes.com to search for homes from the comfort of your own home.

• Research the communities you are most interested in. After you have narrowed down the areas in which you are interested, log on to the Internet or visit local visitor bureaus to get information on the things that are most important to you. You may want to find out more information on schools, parks, recreation, churches and local activities among many other things. Your Realtor can also be an invaluable resource when it comes to information on these items.

• Schools
• Parks
• Recreation
• Churches
• Local Activities and Celebrations

• Make a list of what you are looking for in a home. Take notes on the features of your current home that you absolutely must have in a future home as well as any additional things that you will require your new home to have. It is also a good idea to jot down those things that aren’t necessarily musts but that fit into the categories of likes and dislikes. You can then provide this list to your Realtor so that he can better assist you in finding your perfect home.

• Contact a lender. As you get closer to seriously searching for your next home, it is a must to visit with a lender about the pre-qualifying and pre-approval process.

Pre-Qualification
A lender will ask you for various information including income, monthly debts, current monthly housing payments, as well as other information to help you to determine what price range will be feasible for you to buy a home.

Pre-Approval
The pre-approval process takes the pre-qualification process one step further and is a must before making an offer to purchase your next home. The lender will require you to complete an application and provide proof of your income in the form of pay stubs or tax records as well as authorize a credit bureau report to be pulled. After the lender analyzes all of the necessary information, you will be pre-approved to purchase a home up to a determined dollar amount. After you have completed the pre-approval process, the lender can then issue a "pre-approval" letter to your Realtor, which can be used in the future to prove your buying ability to a seller when you decide to make an offer on a home.

• Contact a Realtor. The right time to contact a Realtor is ultimately up to you. You may decide to contact your Realtor before you get to this point so that your Realtor can assist you with obtaining information on communities as well as help you find a reputable lender. From here, your Realtor will help you through the remainder of the home buying process. For more information on what happens next in the home buying process, see What role a Realtor plays in the home buying process and How to choose a Realtor.

Steps to take to help you start your home buying process

• Drive around neighborhoods of interest
• Attend open houses
• Research communities
• Make a list of likes and dislikes as well as musts
• Pre-Qualification/Pre-Approval process
• Contact a Realtor

Going through open houses is a great way to get an idea about price, condition, and what’s available in certain areas. However, when it comes time to seriously start searching for your next home, there are many advantages to working with a Realtor.

By working with a Realtor, you will not only have the assistance of someone who knows the area but that will look out for your best interest. A Realtor can provide you with valuable information about the market and what comparable properties in the area have recently sold for. Realtors often find out about properties before they come on the market. In turn, they can then tell you about those properties and possibly show them to you before anyone else. Realtors can also be an asset when it comes time to negotiate a purchase price on your next home. They continue to be invaluable all the way up until your move and beyond.

• Knows the area.
• Can research areas and answer questions you may have, including obtaining information on communities, schools, churches, etc. for the areas in which you are looking.
• Can provide you with information on the market including prices of recently sold homes in the neighborhood you are looking.
• Can search for homes that are for sale and set up showings.
• Often finds out about properties before they come on the market.
• Will assist you in writing the purchase agreement contract once you find that perfect home and are ready to make an offer.
• Will help to negotiate the best price and look out for your best interests throughout the transaction.
• Can help find reputable lenders, title companies, home inspectors, etc.
• Will help line up home inspections and assist with any issues that may arise in result of the inspection.
• Will work with your lender and title company from the time your purchase agreement is accepted up until closing to assist with obtaining all required documentation so that you will be assured of a smooth and worry free transaction.
• Will attend closing with you to actively assist and support you with any questions you may have as you finalize your purchase.
• Can assist you with lining up moving companies, etc. and is available to you should you have questions long after you have moved into your new home.