Buying a home can be an exciting and overwhelming experience. It’s fun to look at possible new homes and imagine where you will place your furniture. It’s also a lot of work to find a home, qualify for a mortgage, and move in. Before you make an offer on your new home, consider these home buying tips.

1. Work with a team of professionals. Your home is a significant investment, so you need all the help you can get to make the right decisions. Find a Realtor® and lender to help you through each step of the process. Your Realtor® can help connect you to home inspectors, contractors & more.
2. Get a pre-approval. Don’t start looking for a home until your lender has pre-approved you for a mortgage. The lender will be able to determine how much you can borrow and discuss monthly payments and out of pocket expenses with you. There are different loan options with varying percentages of down payment required.
3. Be prepared to make decisions quickly. In the current Pittsburgh real estate market houses are selling quickly. In the current real estate market, typically there is not much time to make a decision because of the lack of inventory which has resulted in a seller’s market in Pittsburgh! Offers are often times being made on the first day a home is on the market. Do your homework in advance & know which amenities you’re looking for in a home and the areas that you would like to consider.
4. Carefully craft your offer. Low balling a seller in this market isn’t very effective in accomplishing your goal of purchasing a home. Your Realtor® will be able to show you the price that comparable homes in the area have sold for and create an offer that will appeal to the seller. Because of the surge in multiple offer situations, you may only have one shot at presenting an offer. Your agent should be able to help you submit an offer that is competitive and stands out!
5. For Sale by Owners will usually work with a real estate agent. Don’t go rogue to see a for sale by owner home by yourself. Most will pay the buyer’s agent a commission if they bring a qualified buyer. If you see a for sale by owner that interests you, call your Realtor® and provide them the contact information. Let your agent handle scheduling an appointment.

Buying a home in the current Pittsburgh real estate market takes skill and knowledge. You can hire a real estate agent to work on your behalf at little or no cost to you. The seller pays the commission in a real estate sale. Hire an experienced real estate agent to ensure you can find and purchase the right home for you.

With over 14 years of experience, I can help you navigate this hot real estate market. I offer a free consultation to discuss your needs and wants in your new home. Contact me by phone at 412-848-3907 or email at kim.henderson@pittsburghmoves.com. I look forward to hearing from you!