Maria Elena Casillas, Intero A Berkshire Hathaway AffiliatePhone: (408) 821-2649
Email: [email protected]
Email: [email protected]
Many first-time homebuyers want to know the best way to buy a house. While details can vary from one sale to the next, there are some tried and true guidelines for every real estate market. Here are some crucial tips for first-time buyers shopping for a home:
Explore different types of mortgages by comparing conventional and FHA mortgages. FHA loans, offered by the Federal Housing Administration, allow borrowers with a less-qualified credit score to obtain a mortgage with a lower down payment.
Conventional loans offered by banks and other mortgage lenders might have tighter approval requirements, but can have lower interest rates.
Touring houses is an essential part of the home search, but unfortunately not always a practical one. Luckily, 3-D tours and video tours are available for countless listings online, allowing you to visit from the comfort of your own home.
If you're able to attend an open house in person, you'll have the valuable opportunity to explore the neighborhood as well.
A well-qualified property agent understands the current housing market. Their experience and knowledge makes them a valuable partner in the homebuying process. If you're not sure where to start searching for a real estate agent, try asking friends or colleagues for recommendations.
In determining the total amount of money that you're willing to spend on your purchase, make sure to include closing costs. You'll get a quote from your lending agent in advance, but some buyers are still surprised at how much the closing cost actually ends up being.
While expenses vary by lender and location, expect to pay between 3% and 15% of the total purchase price at closing.
Are you ready to get started in finding your dream home? Keep these tips in mind for the best possible homebuying experience.
You don’t need to do this alone. I am bilingual in English and Spanish, and I have been in the industry for over 20 years, after earning my degree in Business Management and successive studies in Human Resources and Technology. Never content to let my education lapse, I also received a certification in Negotiation Skills from Pepperdine University and attended courses at Stanford University. A leader in the field, I am a member of the Santa Clara Board of Realtors and served as a professional standards ombudsman for 8 years. I completed a term as the President of the National Hispanic Organization of Real Estate’s Santa Clara chapter in 2016, now serving as this organization’s National Vice President. I pursued additional in-depth training to achieve professional designations as an ABR (Accredited Buyer’s Representative), CRS (Certified Professional Specialist), and SRES (Seniors Real Estate Specialist), GREEN certification, and RCS-D (Divorce Real Estate Specialist). Far from being a meaningless alphabet soup, this demonstrates how proactive I am in pursuing the latest knowledge so that I completely prepared to satisfy all my sellers' and buyers' unique needs. I am committed to Excellence!
