1. Learn about the home buying process. The first thing a person should do is not jump into buying a home, but to learn about everything involved. They should learn about the paperwork, the legalities and about the process in general. By the time this first step is complete the person should have a good understanding about the rest of the process. This is a good time to talk with a professional, but it is important no to jump into any contracts with agents who may want to act on your behalf. This step is solely for gathering information.

2. Look for a potential neighborhood. A person should now begin looking at neighborhoods they would like to live in. This will give a person the basis for finding the type of home they are looking for. It will give them an idea of buying prices, as well.

3. Get pre-approved. Getting pre-approved for a home loan will benefit the potential home owner. A person that is pre-approved knows how much they can be financed for and can narrow down their search. It will also give them buying power. Someone selling their home will be impressed by someone who knows they can definitely buy the house. It greatly increasing the chance that any reasonable offer the person makes will be accepted.

4. Look at specific house. This is the part of the process that, if a person wants to work with a real estate agent, they would secure one. It is now time to look at houses. When looking at houses a person should check out all aspects. They should try picturing themselves living there. Check for anything about the house that they could not live with. It is important to consider the fact that once a person buys a home they are usually there for years. It is also important to shop around and not give an offer too soon.

After this point the only thing left to do is make an offer and buy a house. Potential home buyers can ease the process by following these four steps.

About the author: Stephen Kreutzer is a freelance publisher based in Cupertino, California. He publishes articles and reports in various ezines and provides home buying resources on Just Home Buying!

1) Why is the seller selling the house?
This question may help you evaluate the “real value” of the property. Is there something about the house the seller does not like? If so, you may be able to adjust the purchase offer accordingly.

2) How much did the seller pay for the home?
This question can, in some instances, help the buyer negotiate a better dealmaybe even get the seller to carry part of the loan. However, it is important to remember that the purchase price is influenced by several factors, like the current market value and any improvements the seller may have made to the home. The original purchase price might not have anything to do with the current value of the house.

3) What does the seller like most and least about the property?
By asking the seller what he or she likes most and least about the property, you might get some interesting information. In a few cases, what a seller likes the most about a home might actually be something the buyer is looking to avoid. For example, if the seller describes his house as being in a “happening community,” the buyer might consider this a negative factor because the area may be too noisy or busy for his or her taste.

4) Has the seller had any problems with the home in the past?
It is also a good idea to ask the seller if he or she has had any problems with the home while living there. Has the seller had problems with a leakage from the upstairs bedroom in the past? If so, even if the leak has been corrected, the floor and walls around the bathroom might have been damaged. You should also check that these items were repaired properly.

5) Are there any nuisances or problem neighbors?
Use this answer to find out about any noisy neighbors, barking dogs, heavy airplane traffic or even planned changes to the community, such as a planned street widening. This may give you insight on why the seller is really moving.

6) How are the public schools in the area?
Because the value of a community is usually greatly influenced by the public schools in the area, finding out the buyer’s perception can give you some insight about the quality of the area’s schools.
Knowing all you can about a prospective home, not only helps you decide if it’s the home of your dreams, but what offer to make as well. Your real estate professional can help you get your key questions answered and give you advice on how to evaluate your findings.

Neda Dabestani-Ryba is a licensed Realtor in Maryland. She is a member of the President’s Circle of Top Real Estate Professionals. She can be reached at (800) 536-3806 or visit her website for more information: http://neda.dabestani.pcragent.com/
Prudential Carruthers REALTORS is an independently owned and operated member of Prudential Real Estate Affiliates, Inc., a Prudential Financial company. Equal Housing Opportunity

First, it is valuable to understand how a home becomes a foreclosed property. A simple definition is that someone borrowed money to purchase the home, and then stopped paying the money back (a.k.a. going into default on their mortgage). This allows the lender to take legal action and obtain ownership of the home to recoup their losses; and in turn causes the homeowner who was in default to lose any equity they had built in the home. You would think that banks would be happy to take the home to cover the money they loaned out; however it is bad for them to keep foreclosures on their books. To alleviate the problem lenders typically try to auction or resell the house as quickly as possible.

HUD (Housing and Urban Development) homes are also foreclosed properties. They are different from normal foreclosures because the lender for the loan was a government lender such as FHA (Federal Housing Administration) or VA (Veterans’ Affairs). When owners with government loans go into default, HUD steps in to take over the property and try to resell or auction it.

Now you know what a foreclosure is, and you can consider foreclosed properties that catch your eye without fear of the unknown. Keep in mind that you should still go through all of the appropriate channels to check out the house structurally and functionally before you make a buying decision. This includes getting a proper home inspection. An inspection will point out any existing or potential problems and will allow you to factor in estimates for repairs that will need to be made to the home right away. These repairs may include plumbing or wiring, the roof, flooring, paint and so on. Making these calculations will help you figure out the amount of equity you will really end up with, and allow you to make the best decision financially.

As you continue your search for a home, remember that foreclosures can be a good investment for your family. By doing your research you can find and entertain more options then you might have realized that meet both your price and living space needs.

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