Step 1: Freshen up your Finances. Before you dive into the exciting part of home-buying—the search!—make sure you have all your ducks in a row. “Figuring out your finances and crunching some numbers will allow you to set a realistic budget,” says William Bill Price, Real Estate Teams, LLC of Real Estate Teams, LLC. 

Step 2: Secure a loan. “After you get your finances in order, talk to lenders and mortgage brokers,” says Price. It’s important to shop around to get the lowest interest and overall best deal possible. “Make sure you understand all of the fees involved before diving into anything,” Price warns. 

Step 3: Map out your criteria. Now that you have your finances figured out and a loan set up, it’s time to begin your search—from home! With a plethora of online home-buying tools at your fingertips, it’s relatively easy to map out different types of homes and neighborhoods and find what is right for you. “Make big decisions—like urban versus suburban settings, an estimated property size and neighborhood requirements—before you start to physically look at properties,“ says Price. This will save time and energy for both you and your agent.

Step 4: Take notes. On your own or with the help of an agent, you’ve found some houses you’re interested in looking at. Don’t venture out without a pen, paper and camera. “Often when searching for a home you are shown many at once. Keeping track of important details by taking notes and pictures will help you differentiate between the properties later, and help you weed out the homes you were not interested in,” says Price. It is also a good idea to come with a list of questions ready, and be sure to scope out the neighborhood by driving around for a bit. “There’s nothing worse than purchasing a house only to find it’s down the block from an extremely noisy restaurant or industrial plant,” Price notes. 

Step 5: Close that deal! So you’ve found a home you love? Don’t wait around. “I’ve seen many first-time buyers miss out on a home because they got cold feet and continued shopping around. By the time they realized they weren’t going to find a better fit, someone else had already made an offer!” says Price. Like the perfect pair of shoes, you will know when you’ve found the right match. “Make an offer, and be ready to negotiate,” says Price. Once a deal has been made, thoroughly read the contract and make sure you understand everything before you sign. Next, it’s time to begin with the appraisal and home inspection process. 

If you’d like to speak with an experienced Frederick Maryland real estate agent who has your best interest in mind, please contact me with any of your real estate or mortgage questions toll Free, 24/7, at 1-800-395-9636 x7 or E-mail me at bill@homes2price.com.

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Im a long time Maryland resident having graduated from Annapolis High School, Johns Hopkins University (BSE) and the University of Maryland. I graduated from University of Maryland with a Masters degree in Engineering. I earned my REALTOR license in 2002 and the Graduate REALTOR Institute designation, GRI. My focus is to assist my clients achieve their objective in their real estate transaction while saving them time and money.

I believe that Real Estate Sales is about helping people.TM My goal is to help people save time and money by assisting them to buy and sell homes in the Maryland Counties of Frederick, Carroll, Howard, Montgomery and Washington. Some cities I specialize in are Frederick, New Market, Mt Airy, Middletown, Walkersville, Brunswick, Thurmont, Myersville, Ijamsville, Urbana, and Woodsboro.