It is said that buying a home is one of the top 3 most stressful things that you will ever do. If you have ever bought a home and had to move you will understand. If you are new to buying a home then you are likely to be confused by all the options that are being thrown at you and therefore you run the risk of mistakes and more stress.
Buying a home need not be stressful though with a bit of organisation and help from qualified professionals. If you are stress free then you will enjoy the process of owning a new home.
If you currently own your own home then you are off to a flying start. It is likely you will have equity in the property allowing you to utilise that to offset against your next purchase. However, if you are new to the property market it will be assumed you have saved very hard and have a nice deposit tucked away and your start is almost secured.
Now for the very easy steps to being organised:
1. Get your finances in order. You will need to ensure you have tax returns, bank statements (for lo doc loans), payslips, other loans/credit card statements (particularly if you wish to consolidate) and a list of your current expenditure and assets.
2. Think about how much you want to spend on your new home taking into consideration your household income and expenses. Utilise an online calculator to assist you in budgeting including potential new loan repayments.
3. Make a list of your wants and needs for your new home.
4. Start shopping for a property. Befriending real estate agents in the area you are looking in will assist you as they will notify you of properties fitting your desires as they become available in the marketplace minimising your need to "keep watch" for listings. This frees you up to start doing other things.
5. Find a loan broker/mortgage broker. A broker will do all the hard work for you and will find the best loan options for you based on your needs, wants, and income. A broker will ensure your application is comprehensive and complete, something that can take a lot of time for an individual to do. This will ensure you are in a better position to get the money you need for your purchase.
6. If you have to sell a home you should start "interviewing" potential real estate agents to list your property. Have a look at what the turnover rate is like of the agent this will give you a fair indication of their marketing strategies. Do not decide on an agent on price only.
7. Whilst your real estate agent writes your listing contract you should start preparing your home for viewing. There are a number of websites offering tips and tricks and your agent will also be able to provide assistance.
8. If you need to borrow money for your new purchase now is the time to start arranging finance as this will save a large amount of time. Your broker will be able to help you with this and you should be ready with all your finance information.
9. If you are purchasing for the 1st time ensure the deposit funds will be available. For example if you have the funds in secure deposits or shares you will have to ensure they will be available once you are "ready to go".
10. Finally find a removal company. The internet or local papers will be your best bet depending on whether you are moving within the same local area or a new one. Like hiring a real estate agent to sell your property you may find you need to interview the removalists as well. Be sure to get testimonials.
Utilising the support of real estate agents, loan broker/mortgage broker will make your life much easier. These people are professionals in their field and know how stressful home buying, selling and moving can be.
Author Resource:
Hong Leong Garden will be revamped into a new mixed development up to 12 storeys of residential and commercial units. You can find out more about other new launches in Singapore at Propertychatter.
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