First: Pay Off Your Debt
It's a common mistake for home-buyers-to-be: They focus on saving as much money as possible for a down payment instead of paying off other debts. A better approach is to use extra cash to eliminate credit-card and other high-interest consumer debt — even if that means you can put down less on your future home, says Lori Vella, senior vice president of national lending for Washington Mutual.
Before You Make an Offer, Inspect the Home
The best way to protect yourself is to hire an experienced home inspector to check the house's structure and systems, including the roof, heating, plumbing, electrical and air conditioning systems.
Just because you need to hire a pro, doesn't mean you can't do some checking around yourself before you make an offer. Check for soft spots in the flooring and look for freshly painted patches on the ceiling or walls that could be hiding water damage. Turn electric switches and water faucets on and off. If it's summer, turn off the air conditioning and turn on the heat to make sure it works. Likewise, if it's winter, test out the air conditioning. Tour the basement looking for water on the floor and see if the hot water heater looks rusted or cracked. A little diligence before you start negotiations could save you a lot of time, effort and disappointment.
Deal Fixed?
Once you and the seller agree on a price, you both will sign a sale contract, which will spell out conditions each party must meet for the sale to go through. A closing of the sale generally hinges on both the buyer's ability to obtain the mortgage loan and the seller's completion of some home repairs.
