We have noticed an increase in activity on our Website in the past several weeks. Our clients are asking for information on the steps necessary to become a homeowner. We tell all our clients that the first step should be to get pre-approved by a lender of their choice.
You are going to need a pre-approval letter to submit with any offer that you make. Almost all sellers will require one before they will even look at your offer. The lender will also tell you what the payments will be and how much down payment will be required. This information will point you in the right direction and keep you in the price range that you are comfortable with. If you have children, schools are also a major concern. We will help you research the schools that you feel will benefit your child the most. Home Owner Associations are another topic that you should be familiar with. Find out what the monthly dues will be and what is included. Many people feel that HOA’s can be difficult to deal with at times but necessary to maintain a standard of care and maintenance to the community. Almost all of the new communities in the Las Vegas Valley have some sort of Home Owners Association. Another important item that we recommend is a Home Warranty. We ask the seller to pay for this and it gives the buyer some protection and piece of mind. They are usually good for a year and will cover most of the mechanical items like the air-conditioning, plumbing, dishwasher, etc. You can renew your Home Warranty every year if you like. Another very important item is a home inspection. When your offer is accepted, you have a due-diligence period. You have a right to have a licensed home inspector check the property and make sure that there is no damage to the home that you were not aware of. If the inspector finds damage, you have a right to cancel the contract and receive all your earnest money deposit refunded to you. Email us with any questions about becoming a Homeowner. We will be happy to help.