The Best Home Buying Blogs From 2017 | Advice For Buying A Home

Top Home Buying Blogs Of 2017

Best Home Buying Blogs From 2017 – Advice For Buying A House

Are you thinking about buying a home in 2018?  If so, there is a ton of advice for buying a home available on the internet for you!

Over the past few years, we’ve highlighted some of the best real estate related blogs from the year in one mega recap article.  This year, we’ve decided to split up the “best of” blog into separate categories due to the amount of incredible articles being written by the best real estate bloggers!

In the coming weeks, we’re going to be releasing the “best of” blog series, highlighting the best real estate articles from 2017!  We’ll be featuring the best home selling articles, best mortgage articles, best social media articles, and more, so stay tuned!

In this weeks “best of” article, we’re going to review the best home buying blogs from 2017.

Below you’re going to find recaps and links to articles pertaining to many home buying topics ranging from buying a home with no money to luxury home buying tips.

Blueprint To Buying A House

Buying a house is a big deal and can be quite complex.  It’s extremely important when buying a house that you know exactly what to expect and when you should be completing certain tasks.

This blueprint to buying a house is a comprehensive, 14 step guide for home buyers!  Whether you’re buying a house in Rochester NY or in Las Angeles, this guide will walk you through the entire process of buying a house.

In the article you’re going to find information about the pre-approval process, the inspection phase, and so much more.  If you or someone you know is going to be buying a house, you must check out this complete guide to buying a house here on Rochester’s Real Estate Blog!

Buy A Home With No Money Down

Luke Skar provides an article with some valuable insight regarding how to buy a home with no money down. In this article, Luke points out several important facts.

First and foremost, mortgage loans that require either a small or no down payment can save the typical home buyer thousands of dollars in out of pocket costs.

Next, we learn that there are 2 types of loans that allow a qualified borrower to purchase a home with absolutely no down payment. These loans are the VA mortgage and the USDA home loan. Both loans have certain restrictions that Luke explains in detail throughout the article.

The third main point of the article highlights the various loans that allow borrowers to pay only a 3% to 3.5% down payment. The most popular low-down payment program is the FHA loan. This type of mortgage has been used for years by people wishing to buy their first home. In recent years, Fannie Mae has introduced 2 loan programs that are similar to FHA. One is called the Conventional 97 program and the other is known as the HomeReady program. Both loans have their own specific criteria that Luke spells out in the article.

Along with the aforementioned loans that are available nationwide, there are also many states that have specific initiatives for their residents to aid in the home buying process. Some of these organizations provide education counseling to help people understand the necessary steps for buying a home. Other organizations have established grants that can be issued to qualified buyers to assist with out of pocket items such as down payments or closing costs.

One last tip: the FHA loan, the Conventional 97 loan and the HomeReady loan require a 3% to 3.5% down payment. BUT, that down payment money can be a gift. Each program has restrictions about the gift, which Luke mentions. By using a gift, potential home buyers are provided with a way to buy a home much sooner than they likely expected.

How Does Dual Agency Impact Home Buyers?

I reached out to Bill Gassett, one of the top Real Estate agents in Westborough Mass, to get one of his best tips for home buyers. Bill had plenty to say!

“Kyle thanks for the opportunity to share my expertise with your readers. One of my biggest pet peeves in real estate is agents who take advantage of consumers. It gives all the professional agents a bad rap. One such example is dual agency.

Both buyers and sellers really have no idea how dual agency works because the person explaining it to them has a vested interest in them agreeing to it. They will sugar coat the realities of what dual agency is and how it’s handled. Dollars signs get in the way of doing the right thing.

For those reading who don’t know what the term “dual agency” means it’s when a real estate agent works with both the buyer and seller in a real estate transaction. Why is this bad? When a buyer or seller agrees to dual agency they no longer have representation anymore. The real estate becomes a neutral party. By law in nearly every state they can no longer be an advocate for either party. Real Estate agents get paid a healthy amount of money. With dual agency they get paid even more.

Imagine hiring a real estate agent as a first time buyer. You know nothing about home values. You are as green as they come. The agent shows you one of his listings and you love it. You want to put in an offer but for how much? Do ask the agent who has been showing you homes because they can’t help you! Pretty silly right.

Most agents, however, won’t do the right thing and refer you to another agent to help. Why not you are thinking. One word – MONEY! They would lose precious commission dollars by referring you to another agent. This my friend is what makes dual agency horrible. There is a reason why dual agency has been banned in a number of states. It should be banned in all of them!”

Shockingly Good Home Buying Blog Articles From 2017!

What Home Buyers Wish They Knew Before Starting The Home Buying Process

How fortunate could you possibly be to know what to do BEFORE setting out to buy a home, while avoiding mistakes that could cost you home ownership? – pretty darn lucky, I’d say!

Here, you’re going to have the opportunity to get prepared for buying a home, by reading one of the featured articles that is written by Real Estate professional, Lynn Pineda with Keller Williams Realty who serves Southeast Florida from Coral Springs to Boca Raton. The article is going to clue you in on what home Buyers had only wish they had known before setting out to buy a home.

In the article, Lynn reveals many home Buyers, their experiences and their true confessions, so you’re able to learn first hand of what not to do. Truly valuable…don’t you think? You’ll be able to look back in time without the worry of … if I only knew this before!

Is home buying as easy as HGTV proclaims, is the Listing Agent your best bet to get the home of your dreams or what about purchasing items for your new home while in the process of closing on your home? Lynn goes through these important considerations along with several more that you’ll most definitely want to be well aware of when buying a home.

Being prepared for what lies ahead is important in almost everything we do and the same holds true when it’s time to buy a home. Particularly if you’ve been wanting to have a place to call your own for so long, you certainly do not want to mess it up and risk not being able to buy a new home, I’m sure.

Take the time to read Lynn’s article so you can call yourself prepared and ready to go. In the know and well prepared. You don’t have to learn on your own through trial and error.

Advice For Buying A Home In A HOT Real Estate Market

In many areas of the Country we experienced a hot seller’s market, punctuated with high demand, but a shortage of listings. Chris and Karen Highland have written a great article for home buyers full of tips to help them navigate successfully through a tough competitive market.

Entering into a hot real estate market is very much like a NASCAR driver coming out of a pit stop at top speed. When competition is high and the number of available homes are low, you must be ready for a fast-paced market. You have to be ready to act quickly and decisively. You Must Bring Your A-Game!

In Advice for Buyers When the Real Estate Market is HOT, Chris Highland explains how to be ready to enter the real estate market at top speed.

Whether you face competing offers, shortage of inventory, or the demands of a fast-paced market, you need a buyer’s agent who will educate you every step of the way. When buyers know what to expect in the market, they are better equipped to get the house they want. Be sure that you use your buyer’s agent; use their knowledge, experience and negotiating skills to help you have a winning strategy.

Top Tip: If you believe that your agent is unqualified to provide you with strategic advice, get a different agent.

How To Get Out Of Debt To Buy A House

This article from Dan Barcelon is written for those who want to buy a home someday but are dealing with some debt. Dan writes about how debt can impact your life and finances, especially during the home buying process.

The articles goes over some excellent ways you can reduce your expenses to get out of debt to buy a home. Dan provides great advice on ways and strategies to pay down your debt, and also ways to get help if the debt is overwhelming. Sometimes, a little debt here and there can be manageable. However, there may have been some things that have happened in the past that caused your debt to accumulate.

Dan writes how using a professional debt service company can help you tackle overwhelming debt. He goes over some of the pros and cons of using a professional debt service company, and when you should probably consider using one. The main takeaway is that debt shouldn’t keep you from buying a home, and that there are ways to get help dealing with debt to make it happen.

To learn more, make sure you check out this article from Dan filled with great advice on how to get out of debt to buy a house. Dan Barcelon is a Real Estate agent in Long Beach, California and wants to help people become a better homeowner through his blog. Be sure to check it out!

Will the Rise of Cryptocurrency Disrupt The Real Estate Industry?

In October Joy Bender & Rob Aumann attended the Inman Luxury Connect event in Beverly Hills.  Oliver Tickner CEO at StreetWire presented “Keeping High-Net-Worth Clients Anonymous: The Rise of Cryptocurrency.”  Oliver’s company StreetWire is a a decentralized network built upon the blockchain to support the verification, analysis and protection of real estate related data for the smart contract.

The popularity of blockchain and cryptocurrency transactions are gaining in popularity and digital monetary transactions could evolve into the future of global luxury real estate.

In this article Bender highlights the origination of cryptocurrency and the blockchain and how they will be future global luxury real estate disruptors.

The Home Buying Process Simplified In 8 Steps

The home buying process can be daunting, however there are simple steps to go through in order to purchase a home. Working with a local and experienced Realtor® can guide you through the home buying process. The Realtor® works hand in hand with the lender to ensure the buyer is approved for a home loan to purchase the home.

Your Realtor® will make sure that you stay within the agreed upon time frames in the contract. As a buyer you can perform your due diligence with a home inspection and any other subsequent inspections. Also a buyer will review all the disclosures so they have knowledge of the property before removing contingencies.

An appraisal is also completed to ensure the property comes in at value. After all of these contingencies have been met, then contingencies can be removed with guidance from Lender and your Realtor®.

The Realtor will guide you through the home buying process from start to finish.  Sharon Paxson provides a blueprint to buying a home in 8 steps!

8 Tips For Buying a Luxury Home

As a luxury home buyer, you’re not just interested in buying an ‘expensive house’, you’re looking at the crème de la crème of housing in an exclusive area, where impressive architecture, great-looking landscaping, finest finishes and state-of-the-art appliances are regarded as the minimum features!

Top real estate agent, Xavier De Buck from Johannesburg (South Africa), goes to great lengths to describe some of the most helpful tips on buying a luxury home! Bottom line is that any luxury home buyer wants peace of mind for himself and his family when buying such a high-priced property investment.

We all know that using the right real estate agent will save you time and money in the process. Xavier used one particular quote that, “We don’t buy things with money. We buy them with the hours of our lives.” and he’s right: buying a luxury home should never be a snap decision! In the end, the agent obviously won’t be the one making the final decision whether or not to buy that luxury home, so perhaps worth trying to map out your tastes and lifestyle before actually starting the luxury home search?

One piece of advice, which will always remain important (and Xavier correctly pointed out), talked about its location: after all, wrapped up in this soon-to-be major investment of buying a luxury home is the status of the area in which the home is situated! It’ll be in the buyer’s best interest to ascertain the well-being of the home’s location and its surroundings.

One other great tip worth mentioning here in the recap covers the importance of a home inspection and the need for a specialized inspector who’s glued up on the top-of-the-range home features.

Anyways, you get the drift how valuable some of these tips when buying a luxury property can be! Luxury home buyers ought to use the utmost care when buying such exclusive properties, and with the tips discussed in Xavier’s article, they’ll be well on their way!

Top Blog Articles From 2017 For Home Buyers

Luxury Home Buying Tips

Greater Cincinnati Luxury Real Estate Agent Paul Sian provides some great tips for luxury home buyers in order to make their home purchase a successful one. With the amount of money being invested into a home many luxury buyers want the best possible home for the best possible price with very little trade off.

After all many of these homeowners do not want to be changing homes often hence the reason for finding a great home now and settling down. The article from Paul provides some great tips and insights on how luxury home buyers can make sure their purchase is successful from the start.

Paul explores the definition of what a luxury home is since price alone is not always a deciding factor. Size is also not a deciding factor as well since there are many luxury homes in large cities that are smaller than some regular homes in the suburbs. Luxury is more of the features, amenities and build quality of the home. Where space is available many luxury homes will boast each bedroom having their own dedicated full bathroom in addition to extra bathrooms not attached to any particular bedroom. Luxury homes with available space have additional amenities like heated full sized pools, tennis courts, basketball courts and more.

The luxury homes in the cities where space is not as abundant may instead have amenities such as 24 hour security in their building, concierge services, on site maid service and more.

Also explored in the article is the need for getting the mortgage pre-approval setup as soon as the luxury homebuyer is ready to start shopping. With interest rates as low as they are today financing a luxury home makes a lot of financial sense since the money not directly put into the home can often earn a better return with other investments. Not only is a mortgage pre-approval a must when submitting an offer some luxury homeowners will not allow buyers to visit their home unless a pre-approval is submitted beforehand.

Usually homeowners want a pre-approval ahead of time when the owner may be a celebrity or just want to be sure the only people viewing their home are able to afford it. Mortgage pre-approvals for luxury homes will be different as well when the loan amounts fall into the jumbo category, which means the homebuyer is wanting to borrow more than the traditional amount. Jumbo mortgages can take extra time to approve so it is best to start earlier.

Also explored in the article is how luxury homebuyers can make sure they are getting a great luxury home in the best possible condition by having a home inspection done. The trend these days is for homebuyers to find a home that is move in ready with very little to do after the sale closes. By having a home inspection luxury homebuyers can make sure their home is in tip top condition or negotiate to have the seller make the repairs before they move in. A home inspection is a valuable tool in the home buying process.

Be sure to check out Paul’s article for more details!

11 Things To Be Aware Of Before Looking At Homes

This home buying article comes from our friends @ uphomes, in Charlotte, North Carolina and is written by Realtor, Ryan Fitzgerald.

BEFORE you buy a home there are a lot of things you need to consider. This article uses 11 examples of things you want to be aware of prior to looking at homes, and definitely before purchasing one.

Location is the first item on the list of 11 and for good reason. It’s the most important! As the article discusses, location is something that you cannot change about a home while price and condition are two things that you can. Time is the most valuable asset we have in this world so don’t buy a home an hour away from work, because then you will spend 520 hours a year commuting (Greater than 21 days spent in the car per year).

Here is the list of 11 Tips:

• Location
• Price
• Condition
• School Districts
• Neighborhoods
• New Vs. Mature
• Mortgage Type
• HOA Vs. No HOA
• First Time Home Buyer
• Storage Space
• Home Inspection

Each one of these plays a different role in the home buying process and knowing what you are getting yourself into BEFORE you buy a home will only help you have a more successful home buying experience.

With all the great information online as it relates to purchasing real estate, this article does a great job of really focusing in on what matters vs. a lot of the fluff you read on the web. Give it a read if you, or share with your clients if they need help getting started in the home buying process!

How To Buy And Sell A House At The Same Time

Buying and selling a house at the same time can be a tricky situation to head into. If you are like most homeowners, first you will need to find a way to extract the equity from the home that you are selling to close on the new property. The part where most people end up holding their breath is figuring out the logistics of timing and planning both transactions to complement each other.

A seasoned real estate agent usually has several alternatives to suggest to you. The best solution always depends on your personal circumstances and finances. In an article written by Joe Samson about buying and selling a property at the same time, he provides some great examples of the steps that you need to consider during the planning stage.

Joe explains that the number one item that you need to cross off your list is to make sure that you have a clear understanding of what you can afford to purchase. You can achieve this by getting prequalified by a lender or a mortgage broker. Then once you have discovered your buying power, it is recommended to jump online to search for homes and pinpoint available options within your predetermined budget. Once you have figured out what you can afford and have it confirmed that you feel right about being able to find a home within your budget, you should contact a local real estate agent to share your plans with him. At this point, he can work with you to architect the entire process of selling and buying at the same time.

Try not to be intimidated by the pressure of executing your plan. A well-experienced agent will be by your side, and he will take a lot of stress off of your shoulders to make the entire transaction look like a breeze to you. Be sure to ask a lot of questions and be prepared to trust your advisers.

6 Ways Potential Home Buyers Can Spring Clean Their Finances

Buying a home is exciting but it can be frustrating.  A big source of frustration for home buyers is the financial process.  Unless you’re in a position to pay cash, you will need to get a mortgage.  The loose lending that led to the housing collapse doesn’t exist anymore.  Thanks to Dodd Frank, mortgage rules have been tightened.

Getting your offer accepted on your dream home is exciting.  Once the offer is accepted, the loan will go to underwriting.  Underwriters verify your income, your debt and how much money you have in the bank.  The last thing you want is to get into contract and be turned down for the loan.  The rejection is disappointing and embarrassing.

In this useful article, Debbie Drummond gives tips that will prepare you for the mortgage.  You can improve your finances.  You can beef up savings and pay down debt.

Getting a credit report will tip you off to any problems and/or errors.  Once your mortgage is in underwriting, you will be asked to supply financial records.  You’ll have a head start if you start putting them together ahead of time.

Once you have your finances in order, don’t mess them up.  Hold off on buying that new car or other expensive items.  Start an emergency fund so that you’ll have a cushion for the household emergencies.

Follow these suggestions to survive the mortgage process and get into your new home.

What Are The PROs & CONs Of Buying An Older Home?

This article from Mike Rosenhahn and Andrew Fortune of Great Colorado Homes covers a common question for home buyers; “What are the the pros & cons of buying an older home?”. It explains the difference between the “romance” and the “reality” of owning an older home.

You’ll hear stories of Mike’s personal experience working on homes that are over 100 years old. You’ll also hear stories about home buyers who have regretted buying an older home once the reality of it all hit.

Many episodes of HGTV romanticize the idea of buying an older home because of the charm, character, and craftsmanship offered in the properties. The reality of owning an older home is much more complicated than HGTV wants to admit though.

This topic requires evaluating many different aspects of the process and determining whether it’s a good fit for you, or not. Topics like functionality issues, buying in historic preservation’s, and the inefficiencies of older home make this article unique to many of the other similar article online.

If you’re considering buying an older home, you should know that the pros and cons are difficult to understand without having personally been through the experience.

Be sure to take your time, read through this article, and work with a highly skilled Realtor who understands the issues at hand and knows how to navigate the home buying process with ease. Your whole experience will be determined by the quality of real estate agent that you hire, so choose wisely!

9 Critical Questions To Ask When Buying a Condo

Condos can be a great fit for many buyers, particularly first time buyers because they are more affordable. Condominiums can also be a good option for those looking to downsize from a larger home and want to avoid the hassles of the usual house maintenance stuff. However, buying a condo is not the same as buying a house.

You need to ask certain critical questions so you have all the facts. You want to make an informed decision as to whether the condo is a good fit for your personal needs. If you don’t do your homework, you might be in for a few less than fabulous surprises after you get the keys and move in.

In this article from Ballard real estate agent in Seattle, Conor MacEvilly, he provides a list of the questions to ask when buying a condo. Make sure you ask every one of them because after you close will be too late.

The big difference with condominium developments is that the condo you want to buy is subject to all the Home Owner Association’s (HOA) rules and regulations, the financial health of the association and general condition of the whole property. You can only get all the nitty-gritty details by asking lots of questions, preferably BEFORE you make an offer.

For example, if you want the option of being able to rent out your unit, it is important that you get the details on the HOA’s rental policy. Some condo will have a rental cap (maximum number that can be rented) or not allow any rentals. And even if they have a rental cap, it might already be maxed out. Another big item to ask about is whether there are any current or upcoming special assessments. Special assessments are basically the HOA requesting that all the condo owners cough up additional money to cover the cost of repairs or upgrades because the HOA coffers are running low. They will either increase the monthly dues or ask for a one time lump sum and that can be multiple of thousands of dollars!

Other items you should inquire about include the pet policies, is there any current or upcoming litigation/ legal issues, and does the condo come with its own designated parking space? The more questions you ask the greater your peace of mind when signing those documents at closing.

Home Buying Costs That You Need To Be Aware Of

This article via Anita Clark provides excellent insight into the various home buying costs consumers should know about. Anita covers 12 key things buyers need to be prepared for as the costs associated with purchasing a home can add up quickly, both during the home buying process and after the ink has dried from the closing. On average, home ownership costs per year are $9K+

There are more obvious costs such as homeowners insurance, property taxes, and even inspection/appraisal fees due as part of the home purchase process. All buyers and investors understand these costs. However, many either forget, do not understand, or are not property counseled by their agent about closing costs which can easily add up to several thousand dollars. Buying a home should be fun and exciting so ensure you do your best to take into account what the home purchase will cost you.

Anita further explains what the various closing costs are to include upfront escrow costs, prorated interest, lender origination fees, and the actual loan application. Other potential costs include the need for a survey, a title search, and even contract items like home warranties, termite bonds, and even the costs associated with switching over a security system.

It is important for home buyers to understand what they are paying for and Anita does a fantastic job of explaining where the funds are going.

Also included are many of the things you might not initially think about but each could easily lighten your wallet. They include moving expenses, homeowners association dues (if applicable), and the costs to switch over utilities. Other potential drains are the potential need to purchase lawn equipment, new appliances, and even the cost of commuting to/from work each day.

Anita reminds us that home buying costs can continue after the closing occurs too. Some new homeowners will want to buy new furniture to go in their new home, others will take on remodeling projects (both small and large), and of course there are the costs associated with periodic home maintenance.

Obviously, buying a home can be very rewarding but consumers do need to be financially prepared for the endeavor. If they have a plan of attack from the onset, any “hidden” costs or fees will not be catastrophic, and they will be able to handle the expenses without stressing over the fees. Relax, have fun through the process, and enjoy the fruits of your labor with a home of your own!

Should You Use The Listing Agent When Buying A House?

Many home buyers think they will save money by purchasing a home directly thru the listing agent.   So is this true?

As Kevin Vitali explains in one of his home buying articles yes, maybe it is, but probably not. In his article he quotes the Boston Globe on the topic … “It sounds promising, but this thought process could end up costing the buyers much more than it could save them.”

Multiple Points of Negotiations

Home buyers think they can negotiate a better price because there is only one agent getting paid instead of two.  You have to remember, the listing agent is under contract for a certain percentage commission, irregardless of whether a buyer’s agent is involved or not.  Many listing agents won’t negotiate their commission after the fact.   And, if they do you are talking about 1 or 2% at best.

As Kevin points out in his article, price is just one small piece of the home buying process.  There are multiple steps along that may need to be negotiated and managed.

A big one is the home inspection.  A buyer’s agent can help negotiate home inspection repairs.

Or what do you do if the house is not being delivered in the manner consistent with what your contract spells out?  Another point of negotiation… just one more of many.

Complex Legal Transaction

Also, real estate transactions are complex legally.  There are conditions of contracts to be met…. precisely.

Miss a critical date like mortgage commitment or a closing and your escrow deposit money is at risk!  Many times your deposit is far more than the few bucks you might save.

Who Does the Listing Agent Work for?

Put everything else aside, you need to realize who the listing agent works for in the transaction.  They work for the seller.  Their fiduciary responsibility is to give the seller every advantage over you during the process.  Legally, that is the listing agents job.

Of course, they act nice and they seem helpful.  They want to sell the house for their client.

But the listing agent can’t help you in anyway that disadvantages the seller.   A listing agent can’t counsel you to determine fair market value, how to negotiate, negotiate on your behalf, share the name of their preferred vendors, etc…

As a matter of fact, the listing agent will advantage their seller every step of the way at your expense.

Going directly to the listing agent because you think you will save money is merely an illusion.  When it comes to buying a home realize when you don’t know what you don’t know.

Key Tips For Buying A House

Sellers’ Markets dominated much of the country thus far in 2017. This is great news if you are selling a home, but if on the other hand, you are a Home Buyer, you will have some challenges. Before you jump into the real estate market, it is important to develop a plan and make sure that when it is time to move on a property, you are leveraged to show up as the best Buyer for the property.

When Home Sellers sit down to look at multiple offers, the money the Seller ultimately walks away with is usually the same no matter which offer they choose. More and more we are seeing Home Sellers accept the offer from the most desirable Buyer. These are the Buyers that are most likely to adhere to the terms of the contract and close. Additionally, Home Sellers are looking for flexibility in dates and conditions.

In this article, “Tips On Buying a House” Joe Boylan covers strategies as well as the tricks of the trade that can help Home Buyers not only find the right property, but clear the way to the closing table. You’ll find out why the big real estate portals might not be the best place to look for a home if you are trying to find the best listings as soon as they hit the market.

It is important to note that no matter what kind of real estate market you are in (Buyers’ Market or Sellers’ Market), there is always competition for the best properties. Joe gives Home Buyers key tips throughout the entire process based on his vast experience in real estate. Starting from choosing a Realtor, to minimizing concessions to making sure you don’t make decisions which complicate the closing process, Joe shows us how to be the winning Buyer no matter what the condition of real estate market.

Important Steps in the Home Buying Process

Do you wonder what the process is like to buy a home? Many articles address how to get ready to buy a home. There is an enormous amount of info on the internet about getting financially ready. Lenders and agent articles provide info on the process of getting a pre-qual letter and the difference between a prequal and a preapproval. The articles on how to buy a home are plentiful and are very useful. The question remains for many, what happens during the process of getting from viewing homes to contracts.

Janis outlines the process in which an offer is made on a home. The article is more specific to life in the Hudson Valley. Real estate is local and the steps vary greatly among locations, it is important to understand what to expect during the process.

In places across the country agents provide contracts, hold escrow accounts and title closes on the transaction. Since there is such a varied norm, it is smart to hire a local agent that has a good working knowledge. Knowing how things work can help for a smooth transaction and the best way to achieve your goal in the shortest possible time.

Janis has been working in the Hudson Valley for over 13 years now and understands the nuances of local norms. The process of buying a home in Cornwall will differ from buying a similar home in Rochester. Many clients have stated that selling or buying a home in other states isn’t quite the same.

This article on Steps to Buying Your Next Home, provides some great local info. Whether you are looking to buy in the area, or in another part of the country it highlights the need to remain local with expectations. Buying a home requires many important decisions and anticipating what comes next can be most helpful.

9 Shocking Facts Home Buyers Don’t Know

Many home buyer’s turn to the internet to start looking for their new home and in some cases they may even find the perfect home online. However finding a home might be the easist part of the home buying process.

Michelle Gibson, a top Realtor in Wellington Florida, wrote an excellent article discussing 9 shocking facts home buyer’s don’t know. In this article she informs buyer’s of the hidden costs they may not be aware of when purchasing a home.

One cost in particular many home buyer’s don’t take into consideration are HOA fees. While a buyer may be able to afford this additional fee it may impact their debt to income ratio if they’re obtaining financing and prevent them from qualifying for a mortgage. Another cost is property taxes, which can significantly increase once ownership changes hands and the property is reassessed.

In addition to hidden costs there are several other obstacles buyer’s may run into especially if they’re not working with a Realtor. If you’re thinking about buying a home or in the process of doing so I highly recommend reading this article in full to ensure you avoid these potential pitfalls.

Final Thoughts

As you can see, there have been a ton of amazing home buying blogs written over the past year.  The above information can help any home buyer, even experienced buyers.

Make sure you check back in the coming weeks for other “best of” articles being published!  We’ll be highlighting articles pertaining to home selling, mortgage, home improvement, and much more over the next few weeks.

Past “Best Of” Real Estate Blog Articles

• The Very Best Real Estate Blog Articles From 2016
• Top Real Estate Blog Articles From 2015
• Top Real Estate Blog Articles From 2014

About the authors: The above article “The Best Home Buying Blogs From 2017 | Advice For Buying A Home” was written by Kyle Hiscock of the Hiscock Sold Team at RE/MAX Realty Group.  With over 35 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise.

We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY.