First Time Homebuyers Can get Good, and Bad, Information on the Internet
After deciding that you are ready to buy a home the first place most of us turn to is the Internet. The Internet can be a very useful tool to help, especially for first time homebuyers. Home buying is a daunting task and one of the largest purchases most of will make. So, you are looking for answers to a large number of questions.
Almost all the information you can imagine is at our finger tips online. However, the Internet is full of misinformation and advice from people who do not know what they are talking about. Weeding through his information can be overwhelming so using a qualified Realtor to help you is the best and easiest way the slog through all the information out there. For example, your Realtor can recommend websites with accurate information that is organized in an easy to read manner.
For example, there are a number of lenders who operate online. Some of them will give you a pre-qualification letter to say that you are qualified for a loan with only the slightest amount of information. If you select a Realtor who is not fully aware of the problems that can be created by Internet lenders, you may proceed with a purchase thinking that you can get a certain kind of loan, when you cannot. You need to use lenders that have a proven track record of success, because there are few things worse than getting right up to the time of closing, with all your possessions on a moving van, only to find out that you are not buying anything or that your purchase may be substantially delayed until financing can be obtained.
Some of the best resources to use are mega sites like realtor.com to find homes that are listed on the MLS systems of all areas of the country. Also using a search engine, such as Google, can also be very helpful. If using a search engine be as specific as possible in your search. Decide exactly what information it is you want and use all the key words in your description. Another great resource is to use a Realtor’s website. Often you will need to give some information to access the full site, but a Realtor’s site like www.TeamForYOUrDreams.com , will contain links to every home that is available in the local MLS, and will usually contain other links to information about the area like schools, city and county websites, and many others. Using a site like this will also give you access to a Realtor in the area that will be able to help you answer any questions you may have about home buying in general and about the specific real estate market in the area you are searching.
First time homebuyers can find a great deal of information on the Internet. However, they need to be able to determine what information is reliable and what is not.
