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Home Buying Guide
Before I get into helping you think about tackling the many tasks of finding a house in Asheville, let me say that... Finding a new home can be confusing, stressful and expensive. So, you’d better know what you’re doing, don’t you think? It’s wise to have a strategy and that's what this home buying guide is all about. What kind of strategy could help you buy a house in Asheville? Well, I’ll tell you, I see people all the time who have no idea how to go about looking for the right house. And from watching these people, and remembering what it was like when I was one of them, I’ve been able to come up with a strategy that will help you confidently find your next home, which may be in Asheville or may not be!
People often assume they know how to buy a house. You just start looking in the paper and real estate magazines and on websites – right? Well, that’s the exciting part, but not where you should begin, if you want the best results – your Asheville dream home, and the best use of your time and money. So, this home buying guide will show you where to begin your search for the Asheville home that will support the lifestyle you want. Ah, that’s the key – the lifestyle you want! Do you want to move here from another area? Maybe you haven’t been here before. You’ve just heard so much about Asheville and you’ve been learning more online. Or maybe you’ve been here on vacation. But, your current home is some place else – maybe Florida, Texas, New York, California, Massachusetts, another part of North Carolina or another country? OK, we’re going to get strategic and get organized... ...so you can take confident control of this next big stage of your life. I’d suggest you start a notebook. Get some tabbed dividers and label them with each of the steps I’ll outline here. Everyone in your household needs to participate in this work. You’ll see why.A map of the Asheville area would be very helpful, too, once you’re sure this is the place for you. You can use these steps to help you relocate anywhere. They are in order, but there is some overlap. It may make more sense for you to use a slightly different sequence. Just don’t leave out doing some of the work and following the home buying tips. I’ve listed the steps below, but you’ll need to click on the links for more detailed information and resources. Don’t stop here. You really need the details! I hope you'll enjoy using this home buying guide! Step 1 – Why Move? There are a lot of places in the world where you might want to live. Why are you drawn to Asheville? Don’t be shy. Write down everything you can think of and put it in your notebook. Add to your list as you think of other things. Are there any reasons you shouldn’t move here? Why move at all? Think of all the questions. Write everything down and put it in your notebook. Step 2 – Home Place Maybe you’ve thought about things like how many bedrooms you want, but have you thought much about the environment of your home? Where exactly in the Asheville area should you build your nest? What kind of home place do you need to live the lifestyle you want. Very important! Step 3 – Home Buying Budget Before you go too far, you may want to have a reality check by figuring out your home buying budget. You need to know how much you can afford before you start to look. You may want to talk with a Realtor and/or an appraiser where you live now about your current home's market value. You may also need to talk with a lender, preferably in the Asheville area. Step 4 – Asheville Communities Start learning about the various Asheville Communities that might meet your needs. Here’s where your map will come in handy. Start more sections in your notebook for each area of interest. Step 5 – Find an Asheville Realtor I haven’t rushed you into choosing a Realtor partly because I want you to be in control of this process, undistracted, and getting the research done. You need to have a good grasp on your strategy and a good start on your research before starting to work with a Realtor, unless it happens to be me, of course. If you don’t, you may rely too much on the Realtor to do it all – and that’s a big mistake. But, now, you're ready to find a Realtor! Step 6 – Explore Asheville You really need to explore Asheville for yourself and to use the research you’ve done on the various areas.
Step 7 – Dream Home Get out your pens and notebooks again. It’s time to start thinking about your dream home. Step 8 – Real Estate Market Let your Realtor know you’re ready to start receiving Multiple Listing Service (MLS) information about homes by email. This will get you started understanding Asheville's real estate market. Step 9 – Visiting Homes All your ducks are in a row – your home-work is done. You’re finally ready to start visiting homes! Step 10 – Choose an Asheville Home Did you do your home-work well? If so, you probably are ready to choose a home! OK, that’s it for the strategy outline! Now that wasn’t so bad, was it? Being able to live in the perfect home for you and to live the lifestyle you want is definitely worth the work, not to mention having confidence in the strategy that saves you stress, time and money. Here are a few more helpful tools:
Go Green! If you’re buying a new home and moving to the Asheville area, you’ll want to consider your green, sustainable, healthy options. No time like the present to go green! Real Estate Definitions Buying a home is like being in a different culture, complete with its own language. You will benefit from having a brief description of some of the terms you’ll encounter. Return Home from Home Buying Guide Go to Asheville Resources from the Home Buying Guide |
