*Use your real estate professional to narrow the prospect list -

A good agent brings to the table an in-depth knowledge of the current housing inventory in the area and continually updates that knowledge by touring homes as they are placed on the market. This is to your advantage. Trying to personally see every available home that might fit your needs would be an overwhelming process . If you are thoroughly communicating your needs and desires to your agent, then your agent can help you narrow down the list of prospective homes to those that best suit your family. This will save you much time and energy.

When the time comes to settle on one home, you can do it with the confidence that you’ve made a well-informed choice.

* Show a little interest in everything you see -

As you tour the homes on your short list, find something to admire in each one. If you don’t show any interest until you’ve finally fallen in love with a home, then you’ve put yourself at a competitive disadvantage. Never let anyone know how badly you want a home - it will cost you money!

* Shop with your head, not your heart -

Don’t forget the purpose of your reality and wish lists. Shopping for a home is an emotional process. Your heart will cost you money; using your head will save it.

* Don’t ignore red flags when evaluating a home’s pluses and minuses -

When evaluating the advantages and drawbacks of a particular property, be sure you know the difference between acceptable and unacceptable problems.

Some issues - peeling paint, worn carpeting, ugly wallpaper - are cosmetic and can easily be remedied. In fact, you can use these “problems” during negotiations to lower the asking price; after all, you’ll need to spend money to bring the house up to date. Make note of what you see that can be used to your advantage. Although hold back from nit-picking. If taken to extremes, you could end up alienating the seller and creating a hostile atmosphere.

Other problems may be warnings to walk away. Major foundation cracks, evidence of previous water damage, signs of serious dry rot or termite damage, antiquated electrical systems or plumbing - any one of these may cause to reconsider your interest.

Don’t let a house’s positive attributes blind you to very real problems. If you do, the chances are good that you’ll end up spending much more than you ever expected down the line.

* Hire a professional home inspector -

Failing to do so, made the biggest home buying mistakes list.

Spending a few hundred dollars for a professional home inspection may be the best investment you’ll ever make. A professional inspector brings experience in examining a great many homes, good evaluation standards and an unbiased perspective. And a written report can be an excellent negotiating tool.

A Typical Inspection Looks at:

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