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Every first time buyer is in search of that perfect home! What is a good buy, where is a good location, and when is the perfect time to buy? As they work thru this process, they soon start to realize what they want and what they need.  It is a good start when you get out there and look at as many homes as you can. After each home you need to write down what you liked and what you didn't like. These helps you to start the process of eliminating the features that you don't want. I like the kitchen in this home, I don't care for the back yard though, cause I need more space.  When I am showing a first time buyer, I ask them to pay attention to the main floor square footage.  A lot of times buyer's read up on total square footage and that can get confusing. There is a big difference in a home with 1100 sq ft on the main floor and 400 finished in the lower level and the second home is that is 900 sq ft on the main floor with 600 finished in the lower level.  What you are looking for, in your first home is that the main floor sq ft fits your family size and needs.  The smaller the main floor, the smaller the rooms. If you need a bigger kitchen with more cabinets then you need more square footage.  

The decision to buy in the city or in a small town, can add to the stress level.  There are sometimes programs in the small town that enhance the ability to get a better deal by buying in the small town.  I tell my clients if they are willing to consider both options, have their lender run the scenario both ways in the city and the small town. The small towns have to be watched closely because sometimes the utilities can be expensive in the small town, which defeats the purpose of moving there.  Taxes also can be accessed at a higher mill levy then the city taxes are depending the the tax burden in that town.

It is important to know what you can do and what you can't do.  If you have the ability to do repairs in a home and update features in the home, then you might want to consider a fixer-upper, if not then it's best to stick to the ones that have been well maintained. 

Whatever your needs are in your first home, get a Realtor to help you find the perfect home!

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Just like our clocks this weekend in the majority of the country, the housing market will soon "spring forward"! Similar to tension in a spring the lack of inventory available for sale in the market right now is what is holding back the market.

Many potential sellers believe that waiting until spring is in their best interest, and traditionally they would have been right.

Buyer demand has seasonality to it, which usually falls off in the winter months, especially in areas of the country impacted by artic temperatures and conditions.

That hasn't happened this year.

Demand for housing has remained strong as mortgage rates have remained near historic lows.

The National Association of Realtors (NAR) recently reported that the top 10 dates sellers listed their homes in 2015 all fell in April, May, or June.

Those who act quickly and list now could benefit greatly from additional exposure to buyers prior to a flood of more competition coming tomarket in the next few months.

Bottom Line

If you are planning on selling your home in 2016, let's meet up to evaluate the opportunities in your market.

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