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HOME BUYING ARTICLES AND ADVICE

1. Benefits of owning your own home.

• 1. The best investment
• 2. Income tax savings
• 3. Stable monthly housing costs
• 4. Forced savings
• 5. Freedom and individualism
• 6. More space

2. Important things to avoid before buying a home.

• 1. Don't move money around
• 2. The effect of changing jobs
• 3. No major purchases of any kind

3. Don't buy a car - or did you already buy one?

• 1. When income grows and you want to buy "stuff"
• 2. Debt-to-income ratios and car payments
• 3. How buying a car reduces your purchase price

4. The business cycle and buying a home.

• 1. Recession and expansion
• 2. Supply and demand
• 3. Should you try to "time the market?"

5. Comparable sales and your offer price.

• 1. Determining your offer price
• 2. Comparable sales in the public record
• 3. Comparable sales in the multiple listing service
• 4. Comparable sales - pending transactions
• 5. Other factors influencing your offer price

6. Major factors influencing your offer price.

• 1. How property conditions affects your offer
• 2. How home improvements affect your offer
• 3. How market conditions affect your offer
• 4. How seller motivation affects your offer
• 5. The final decision on your offer price

7. Offering to purchase real estate - the basics

• 1. Introduction and overview
• 2. Contingencies in a purchase offer
• 3. Earnest money deposit
• 4. The closing date
• 5. Transfer of possession

8. Writing an offer - Safeguards regarding the property

• 1. Disclosures from the seller
• 2. Condition of the property upon transfer
• 3. Inspections you should require
• 4. Final walk-through inspection

9. How financing details affect your offer.

• 1. Down payment
• 2. Interest rates
• 3. Closing costs and financing incentives
• 4. Seller financing
• 5. Cash offers
• 6. Other financing details in your offer

10. How FHA and VA financing affects your offer

• 1. Extra costs for the seller
• 2. VA and FHA appraisals

11. Selecting service providers.

• 1. You and the seller must agree
• 2. Escrow and settlement
• 3. Title insurance
• 4. Termite and pest inspection