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Are You Ready To Buy A House? Home Buying Tips

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Going through the home buying process as a first time home buyer can be intimidating. Do you think you’re ready to buy a house? Here are some really helpful tips, collaborated by a variety of professionals, to help you take the right first steps.

Take a first-time home buying class

Did you know there are many resources which you can use to learn about the home buying process in detail? In fact, many mortgage officers will encourage you to attend one of these classes before you even apply for a mortgage. Here are a few things you will learn:

  • How to get prequalified and preapproved
  • How to find the right real estate agent
  • How to shop for your home and make an offer
  • How to obtain insurance and what kind of insurance you will need
  • When to have the home inspection and appraisal
  • Details of the process from beginning to closing

As you go through a class or seminar, some lasting as long as 8 hours, you will learn about each topic in detail. Don’t let the amount of information intimidate you, just take it one step at a time. Also, don’t forget that a good real estate agent will help you with each step as you take them.

The Paperwork for your financing

One task that many first-time home buyers are not prepared for is the amount of paperwork they will need to gather and provide for the financing. Not only will you need proof of income, but you will need proof of everything as it pertains to your finances. A good loan officer will tell you that the key to getting through this phase is organization.

In many cases, this phase is when many home buyers lose track of the little important things. For example, someone forgot to tell the home inspector that the water in the home runs on a well. Now you also need a water inspection and that takes longer – but you were supposed to close in a few days! So now closing could be delayed because a little detail got left out and had a big impact. Effective communication between your loan officer, your real estate agent, and your home inspector will make all the difference.

How to look for a home

You’ve been preapproved! Congratulations, it’s time to start looking for that dream home. Each individual approaches the actual home buying process differently. For example, you might look at homes that are outside your preapproved amount with the intention to negotiate on the price. Others might want to look under their preapproved amount. Some will wait until their real estate agent sends them listings, other will look for them on their own. There is no right or wrong way, just your way.

An important feature of your real estate agent will be assisting you in deciding on whether to make an offer on a home or not. They will provide pros and cons that you may not identify and also provide insight from a unique point of view. Your real estate agent will help you negotiate, if that is an option, and even help you understand resale value. Don’t take this for granted, it will make the process significantly easier. Lastly, your real estate agent will walk you through each step of the process until your closing day.

Every agent’s goal is to assist you in getting the best property at the best price with the least amount of inconvenience based on current market conditions.

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Is Your House Ready For The Cold Weather?

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In Florida we get cold weather pretty late in the year. In fact, for the last few years Christmas Day has been pretty warm in Tampa. But once January rolls around the cold weather starts to roll in and if you don’t prepare your home for the cold weather you could be inviting a host of problems. Here are a few simple things you can do ahead of time to prevent cold weather concerns.

Check your heater

Turn on your heater and let it run for a few minutes. If you haven’t run your heater basically all year, you don’t want to wait until it’s freezing outside to turn it on. This can create an abrupt start to your heating component and lead to faster wear and tear. Instead, choose a day that’s a little cool and turn on your heater. Let it run for about thirty minutes and turn it off. If there are any problems you should find out in that window of time. And better you find out know than find out when you really need it.

Clean out your fireplace

Some homes do have fireplaces in Florida. Yes, that may seem shocking but it’s true. If you have an indoor fireplace that you want to use this year, give it a thorough cleaning. Likely you didn’t clean it after using it last year. Check the flute to make sure it’s working properly. Clean out as much smut as you can and clear out all the old ashes. When the time comes you’ll be ready.

Change your filters

It’s easy to forget to change your filters any time of the year, but even more so during the holiday season. However, with your windows closed and your heater on to keep away from the cold, a clean filter is even more important. The only air you are breathing is the one moving through your house, so make sure you’re breathing clean air.

Clean before you close

Going back to the previous paragraph, you are about to lock up your house. Don’t lock in the dust and dirt with you. Do a pre-winter clean. Just like springing cleaning but for winter time. Clean the house as much as you can, including all the nicks and crannies, so your home stays both fresh and warm.

We hope these tips help you fair the cold weather for as long as we have it here in Tampa. Don’t forget we offer home inspections even through the holiday season.

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2019 Home Remodeling Trends

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2018 is quickly coming to an end and a new crop of homeowners will be thinking of selling their home in 2019. Since Tampa is in a pickle right now with many buyers and not enough homes, this will be welcomed. However, before you put any “for sale” signs up, take a look at the 2019 home remodeling trends that might be worth taking the time to do.

Update your features instead of your flooring

Putting in new flooring isn’t the daunting task it used to be. Now laminate flooring is weatherproof, water resistant, scratch resistant, and beautiful. So, instead of shelling out a pretty penny for new floors, update your features instead. And if you don’t have a feature then create one. This could be adding a fireplace to your home, creating a featured wall, creating an outdoor feature like an outdoor kitchen, and many more other trending updates.

Wallpaper is back, but use it wisely

Wallpaper is a great way to create a featured wall. There are many fantastic selections to choose from and it can be an inexpensive project. In fact, it can be something you do yourself. With the right tools and a little patience, wallpaper can transform and entire room. Be weary of putting up wallpaper in sensitive spaces, like bathrooms. Less is more when it comes to wallpaper. Use it to create accents and specific spaces rather than plaster and entire room.

The love is in the details

Pay attention to the details. You might be shocked at how different a new set of blinds opens up a whole room. Putting in new windows can completely transform a space but so can updated window trimming. A new set of window blinds next to a fresh coat of paint is like a whole new room.

You cannot avoid the curb appeal

No matter what you update on the inside of the home, you have to get people’s attention starting with the outside of the home. Curb appeal can be all the difference in getting people to tour your home and selling it faster. This can range from planting new plants or flowers to an entirely new landscape plan. Consider changing or painting your front door, painting the outside of the house, or creating new window complements. Anything that will make your house stand out will go a long way.

Don’t forget when you’re ready for your home inspection to call Divinity Inspection Services. We are a five-star property inspection company in Tampa. We manage all of our inspections with the same degree of expectation to do an excellent and thorough job. Schedule your home inspection directly on our website or call us so we can answer any questions you might have.

If A Seller Already Had A Home Inspection Completed, Do You Still Need One?

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As you shop for a home you may come across a seller who has already had a home inspection completed. This could be a big benefit for you as a possibility to save money by not needing to pay for a home inspection. However, before you get too excited, here’s what you will want to look for first before deciding you don’t need to get your own home inspection.

When was the home inspection completed?

For a house that has been sitting on the market for a while, a seller may use a completed home inspection as motivation for buyers. One less thing a buyer has to pay for! Which sounds great, but you want to make sure the home inspection was done recently. Any home inspection report older than 90 days would not be as reliable. In fact, the most ideal report would have completed within 30 days.

Who was the home inspection completed by?

If you are not familiar with a home inspection report then you may not know what to look for. There are two things you need to do if you would like to depend on the home inspection report offered by the seller. First, find out who the home inspector or company was and give them a call. Do your due diligence to make sure they are a credible resource and a dependable, insured company. Second, ask the home inspector if they would review the home inspection report with you. They should be able to talk you through their findings and educate you about the house, including any concerns.

What is the home inspector’s policy?

Some home inspectors are not willing to honor the report if you did not order and pay for it yourself. In this case, any findings or claims can be made by the homeowner only (the seller) and not the buyers. This does you absolutely no good if you run into an issue with the house, especially if it’s an issue with something expensive. Plumbing, electrical, or the roof is just examples of very important areas that need to be inspected thoroughly. If the report claims everything is find and you find out something is wrong you may have a hard time holding the inspector responsible.

Ask your agent for their opinion

Your agent is seasoned and familiar. Ask them for their opinion! They can advise you on whether they think it’s a good idea to use the inspection report provided or order your own. Your agent will consider factors such as the seller’s history, age of the house, and other things you may not know to consider. Always use the resources you have around you when you can.

Divinity Inspection Services offers pre-listing home inspections. These inspections are specifically for a seller that wants to know more about their home before they sell it and also want to use the report as an incentive for buyers. A pre-listing inspection can also give the seller a heads up on anything that needs to be fix that might hinder a sale before they put their house on the market. Learn more schedule your home inspection now!

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Who’s On Your Team When You’re Buying A House For The First Time?

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Buying a house for the first time can seem like a daunting process. And if you don’t think so, just wait for everyone to tell you so. However, the closing process always seems to be the most trivial part of the entire journey. Even after your real estate agent or mortgage officer warns you on what to expect, it still might seem confusing. Here are some tips and information to help clear up those muddy waters.

Choose Your Team Carefully

Before we even get into the details of what to expect when you’re closing, let’s first talk about your team. Your team will include your real estate agent, your mortgage office, your home inspector, and sometimes your title agent. I say sometimes because most times the seller chooses the title company and you have no say, but ideally they act like their on your team too.

Your Mortgage Officer

You may not realize how important these people are until you’re knee-deep in the process. If your mortgage officer does their job right, you’ll know ahead of time what documents and information you’ll need to have on hand. Not just when the lending company needs it, but much further in advance. You will have to search for, pull, print, save, etc. all the various documents, which takes time. And life goes on, which means you don’t always have a lot of time. A good mortgage office will give you all this information as soon as she can so you can have as much time as possible getting it all together.

Your Real Estate Agent

Your real estate agent isn’t just the person showing you the houses. This is the person walking you through every piece of document you sign from beginning to end. The real estate agent sets the expectations and highly impacts your experience. You need someone you know, like, and trust on your team so choose wisely.

Your Home Inspector

Lastly, your home inspector is also on your team. Some will definitely want to argue this point. Some will say the home inspector is on the seller’s team to get the house sold. Some will say their on your team to find issues with the house before you buy it. Some will say the home inspector is just there to kill the deal. The truth is, the home inspector really is on your team. At least a good one will be. The goal is to give you as much information as possible about your home before you buy it. This includes the good, the bad, and the ugly. But in the end, a good home inspector will leave you feeling confident about your knowledge in the home you want to purchase as they walk you through their findings.

You would be hard-pressed to find a home inspector whose work actually reflects these notions. However, here at Divinity Inspection Services, we believe our customer feedback speaks for itself. Our five-star reviews on Google say more than we ever could, so make sure you take a look!