Your house payment should be no more than 25% of how much you "take home" in your paychecks. 

You should save 10 to 20 percent, unless you are a first-time home buyer. First time Home Buyers may only have to put down an average of about 6 percent. But also, do not forget to save for closing costs and fees!

Closing Fees: Home Price + Amount Down + Loan Amount + About 4% for Closing Costs = Total Savings Needed. 

Check out our area pages to search for homes and neighborhoods that fit what you are looking for! Be on the lookout for school ratings, neighborhood amenities, proximity to work locations, etc 

You will want someone who is an expert in the area, negotiations, and who you feel will work hard for you. At National Properties Realty, all of our agents are seasoned professionals who make sure to always have your back and who are knowledgeable and can guide you through every aspect of the process and get you the best deal / put in the best, winning offer. . 

To preapprove you, lenders look at your income, assets and credit score and determine what loans you could be approved for, how much you can borrow and what your interest rate might be. 

This will help them to set up a search for you, and to know what kind of homes to show you so that you are both on the same page.  

Go and see what's currently on the market that fits your budget and "must-haves!" Most buyers search for an average of 8 weeks and view around 9 homes before they find their perfect home! 

Once you find a home you love, your agent will put in a hopefully WINNING offer for you. Your agent should be an expert in knowing what to offer and formulating this to put in on the home you want.

After your offer is accepted, you’ll pay a deposit called earnest money. Then, you can let your lender know the exact dollar amount to process for your mortgage. After that, you will be given a myriad of paperwork to sign for your lender. 

The time frame on getting inspections starts the day immediately after executing the contract. Your agent will guide you through these and should know of reputable inspectors to get this all done in a timely manner allotted by the contract. Should you find anything that needs to be repaired, your agent will communicate this to the seller as part of negotiations. 

Your Appraisal will ensure you are not over-paying, ensuring the value of the home. 

Next, your lender will finalize your loan documents. There’s a ton of paperwork that goes into getting a mortgage, and be sure to sign everything in a timely manner (24 hour turnaround just to be sure). On average, it takes 51 days to close on a loan! 

Phone Scams are getting out of hand. Scammers would love to get their hands on your hard earned Savings that was intended for the purchase of your home. NEVER give bank account information to people calling and posing as a title company. Always check with your agent and lender if you receive this kind of call during the process.

You will want to get at least 3 bids before making your final decision on homeowners insurance. Your lender will require you have this to finalize your loan, so choose a trusted agent and secure your insurance policy. 

A final walkthrough is an opportunity for home buyers to inspect the house before the official closing. The final walkthrough allows the buyer and their real estate agent to go through the house room by room. 

Now you will finally get to close on your home, which will include signing a hefty amount of paperwork, paying the rest of any payments outstanding and starting the moving process. CONGRATULATIONS!