Buying a house in Garner? For many Americans, buying a house is a long-held dream or at least a long-worked-toward goal. But when it is finally within reach, expectations don’t always line up with the reality, especially on the financial end. Knowing more about the reality – what you should actually expect – will go a long way toward heading off disappointment. So let’s take a closer look at expectations vs. reality with respect to buying a house in Garner.
The Down Payment
One of the first places where expectations and reality diverge when it comes to buying a house in Garner is the down payment. “This seems to be the first ‘shocking’ point to many first-timers. It’s also one of the most heartbreaking ones to explain to them too. Many times, they have saved for several years and come in with what they think is a sizable down payment . . . but, in reality, it’s less than what is needed.”
Often, this is the result of buyers choosing a home that is actually out of their price range – one that requires a much larger down payment than they had anticipated. A good local real estate agent can help you avoid falling into this trap by preparing you well ahead of time for the necessary down payment. To find out more about how an agent can help, just call (919) 772-1222.
Additional Costs
Another similar area where expectations and reality don’t always jibe is in all the additional costs of owning and buying a house in Garner. Many buyers think that the down payment is all of the upfront cost in buying a house. But that’s far from the reality.
There are, in fact, a number of additional upfront costs as well as ongoing expenses, for example:
- Attorney fees
- Closing costs
- HOA fees
- Private mortgage insurance
- Property taxes
- Homeowners insurance
- Utility bills
- Maintenance and repairs
- Moving expenses
Many home buyers who have been renting are completely unprepared for these additional costs. Again, your agent can assist you in factoring all these in so that you won’t be taken by surprise.
The Process
Certainly, buying a home can be fun and exciting and sometimes even easy. But, typically, the whole process won’t be like that.
Most of the time, buying a house in Garner means that you’ll spend a long time searching for just the right house – one that meets your needs both with respect to features and price. Often, this involves viewing homes at inconvenient times after work and on weekends. It may also entail a great deal of compromise and give and take. Very seldom will the first or one of the first few homes you view be the one.
Getting What You Want
Similarly, expectations and reality seldom match when it comes to getting exactly what you want in a home. Holding out for everything you want can make the process long and burdensome.
Here’s what the pros say about this for buying a house in Garner: “You will have to make some compromises. Unless you’re designing and building your dream house, it’s not likely that every box will be ticked on your wish list. As you start to look at more and more houses, compromise sets in. It’s not always compromise with each other either: it can be with your budget, location, or any number of your must-haves vs. nice to have list.”
But with the assistance of a qualified local agent, you’re far more likely to find a home that meets more of your criteria and checks more of your boxes. Find out how this works by calling (919) 772-1222.
DIY-ing It
Sure, there are a host of websites and apps available today to help you find the home you want. And these are great for the initial stages of house hunting, but they just can’t do what a local agent can. In this case, the expectations fall far short of the reality.
Here’s one important reason why relying on these sites and apps alone for buying a house in Garner isn’t the best course. “A lot of houses aren’t listed on these apps in real-time. By the time [you] see them show up, they’re already pending in this fast-selling market.”
Your agent, on the other hand, will actually have access to for-sale homes that aren’t even listed yet. And this can give you a huge advantage over the buying competition.
Avoiding Disappointment
If you truly want to avoid the disappointment and financial surprises associated with buying a house when expectations and reality don’t line up, contact an experienced local real estate agent. Your local agent knows the local market and will know exactly what lies in store for you when it comes to down payments and other upfront costs, as well as how to streamline the process and help you get what you want. So if you’re ready to buy a house in Garner, contact us today at (919) 772-1222.