If this is your first real estate purchase, the whole process can be overwhelming. The absolute first place to go is to the money. You need to know first and foremost what you can afford, then decide if that much house will fit your needs. If you need a mortgage, any bank lender can pre-qualify you. They will need to know some basic info, like name, social, birthdate and address to pull your credit, and how much you make. They will also need a two year history on address and income. The whole process will take 10 minutes over the phone, and you should get an answer from them within 24 hours.
Once you know what you qualify for (and more importantly, how much you are willing to spend), you should start looking for homes. Most people start this search online. You can use popular sites such as Realtor.com, Homes.com, or if looking in the Easley area, our site is SearchEasleyHomes.com. Type in the price range you're interested in, and anything else that's important - city, schools, bedrooms, etc.
You will find several homes you want to see. Before you start calling agents, you should consider hiring your own Buyer's Agent. The agent who has the home listed (the name on the sign) works for the seller. It is their job to get the most money from the buyer in the quickest time, and they cannot point out any negatives about the property to you. The listing agent cannot be dishonest if you ask the right questions, but it's in your best interest to hire someone to be completely in your corner! In this market, both agents are paid by the seller at closing, so you won't have to worry about it costing you money out of pocket to hire your own buyers' agent. Get representation!
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I'll post more in the future, but if you have questions now or need a referral to a reputable lender, give me a call today!