Five Smart Home Buying Tips!

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1. Buy a house priced no more than 2.5 times your annual salary. This is a realistic guideline to ensure that you are not overextending yourself on your mortgage.

2. Buy a house in an excellent school district, even if you don’t have children. This will increase your resale value, as many home buyers do have children.

3. Before you buy, hire your own home inspector to detect any potential problems. This report could be a negotiating factor on the price of the house.

4. Getting a pre-approval on a mortgage will give you more negotiating power with the seller, as you are a “sure thing” and not a gamble.

5. Get a realistic view of the neighborhood before you buy. Drive from your potential home to work and shops during the appropriate times to evaluate traffic.