The Home Buying Process

1. Concentrate your search in areas where houses are in your price range. Finding them is easy:
   • Work with a qualified real estate agent.
   • Check the real estate section of the newspaper.
   • Search online at various real estate sites.
2. Choose where you would like to live. Area, employment and community information is also online; often on the same sites where you'll search for a home.
3. Drive through the neighborhoods you've chosen. Starting with your top two, drive to your place of work, both in the morning and the evening. How long is the commute? Is the time commitment reasonable? Are there alternative forms of transportation that you could use?
4. Visit the neighborhood you've chosen. Drive through the neighborhood where you plan to live at different times of the day and at night (especially late night if you're a light sleeper) to check traffic and noise levels.
   Listen for:
   • Airplane traffic/noise
   • Foot traffic
   • Trains
   • Car traffic
   • Is it quiet/peaceful?
   • Look at nearby businesses. What places are open at night that you wouldn't notice during the day, such as nightclubs, or late-night restaurants.
5. Consider any future job moves and how it  would affect your home location. What are you chances of staying in the job you have now for the length of time you'll be living in the house? If changing work locations is a possibility, you won't want to pick a house just because it's near your current job.

The quality of your children's education will determine the quality of their future. Call and visit the local school district. Conduct online research as well. Most school districts have websites; they are a good place to start.

Here are some suggested questions:

• How do students score on statewide and national tests?
• How many students go on to college?
• What colleges do they attend?
• What are some of the problems facing the schools in the area?
• What about drug use and the incidences of violence?
• What is the student/teacher ratio?
• What about art, music, drama, and sports programs?
• What are the ages of their facilities? Old, new?
• What is the student/computer ratio?
• At what grade level do they start teaching computer skills?
• Do they have secondary language programs?

1. Look at the local Chamber of Commerce website to get a feeling for the type of community you'll be joining. They'll be happy to talk with you and send any information you need.
   
2. Take a drive around the adjoining shopping areas and take notes on what you find. Will you have easy access to your:
   • Grocery store
   • Dry cleaners
   • Doctors
   • Hospital
   • Fire station
   • Police station
   • Dentists
   • Place of worship
   • Restaurants

A real estate agent is recommended to help guide you in this process.

1. Tax rates for your area are usually available online and from your real estate agent.
2. Covenants
   Many neighborhoods may have covenants you will be required to follow. Some examples:
   • How many outbuildings you can have and/or build.
   • House paint color guidelines.
   • Maximum number of pets allowed.
   Your real estate agent can provide this information to you.
3. Crime rates. You want your family and your possessions to be safe, so be sure to check out the rate of personal and property crime in your area. Call the local police department for information.
4. Zoning. How is your new neighborhood zoned? Could you wake up one morning with an office building going up across the street? Ask your real estate agent or check with the local library for help in identifying any zoning issues.
5. Natural Hazards. Research natural hazards that may or may not be obvious. Is your neighborhood of choice:
   • On a flood plain
   • In a weather conversion zone
   • Over an earthquake fault
   • In a wetland area
   • In a potential wildfire zone
   • Near a:
     • Superfund site
     • Solid waste landfill
     • Leaking underground storage tanks
   To check out these hazards and more, you may want to pay for an environmental report. These hazards may impact your ability to get a mortgage in that area.

Make a list of all the things you want in a home. Be as specific as possible. It will save you time in your search for a new home.

Consider some of the following things:

1. Think about what you want on the outside of your home.
   • Will it have a yard? If so, what size?
   • Do you want an established garden or a chance to create your own?
   • Do you want a garage? Attached? Detached? One, two, or three cars?
2. Think about what you want on the inside of your home.
   • How many bedrooms do you need?
   • How many bathrooms? Not just for the immediate future, but for those teenage years, as well.
   • What about a den or office? A guest room for grandparents and out-of-town guests?

Your real estate agent can help you find the perfect home once you determine what is important to you.