1. Introduction

Purchasing a property is no doubt one of the biggest milestones and also, it brings with itself huge financial responsibility. Between the paperwork and red tape, first-time home buyers feel helpless. Between finding the perfect property and obtaining a mortgage, there are so many steps that go into it. To make this easier and to help ensure your home will be closing, and you still have plenty of money in the bank afterward, I created a full checklist. From how much you should put down to the documents needed for a lender pre-approval, this checklist contains all of (literally) the first-time homebuyer essentials. This list is perfect for those looking to buy a home from now or in the near future, and will give you everything that you need to do before continuing! Let's get started!

2. Start with your budget and mortgage choices

When buying a home, you need to know your budget as well as what mortgage options are available for you. We recommend you calculate your budget and how much in monthly installments you can afford to pay before actually looking for the house. It will help you to only look in around your price and not fall for a house that is more than 99% of all homes.

Given that, calculate your budget — from our salary to expenditures and any debt payments you must make. Draw up a budget (you can use these online mortgage calculators) to give you an idea of how much you should be borrowing based on your financial status. After you know for sure where your budget lies, next comes finding out what type of mortgage is best for you.

Learn about the different type of loan options (i.e., fixed-rate and adjustable rate) available, and compare interest rates from a few lenders. Be sure to shop with various lenders so you can compare their offers and choose the best one for you.

Knowing what you can afford and the different mortgages that are available will allow you to be more informed in meeting your financial necessity head-on. Next up in our First-Time Homebuyer Checklist: Why you should use any real estate agent without a license for another word

3. Do you research on neighborhoods and a realtor

A touring of the neighborhoods is an imperative first step in buying a home, as well as finding a trustworthy and experienced real estate agent. Once you have a budget in mind and some idea of your mortgage options, it's time to start visiting neighborhoods. Location of the property, accessibility to schools and other amenities; landscaping in common areas or environment/friendly neighborhood.

Online resources can help you gather information about neighborhoods, such as crime rates, schools and property values You can also go to the neighborhoods and talk with actual residents.

Another important matter is to locate a dependable real estate agency with strong references and local market understanding. Ask for referrals from friends, family members or co-workers and meet with a many various agents to talk about the home buying process. A good realtor should help you navigate through the process, identify properties that suit your needs, and negotiate on your behalf.

Next up in our First-Time Homebuyer Checklist, we go into what it means to “research” neighborhoods and select a quality real estate agent. Keep an eye out for further tips and advice to help guide you through the home buying process.

4. Search for houses & Go to open homes

Now, that you have gotten past the researching of neighborhoods and finding a top Realtor for your home search, It is time to move on to arguably the most fun step in buying a new house – The Search. With an idea of what you are looking for in a new home and your real estate agent by side, getting started with the search will help keep feelings on track.

Begin with online tools and websites to search for the properties in these neighborhoods. The other thing with them is that many of these platforms can also help in the filtering process, meaning you get to customize your search easier, just like setting out results by number of bedrooms, bathroom, or even price sort. Make a list and narrow down what you like so that it helps to save your time.

Secondly, going to open houses is a good way of getting an idea about different properties and their neighborhoods. Although doing a simple browse through online can give you an idea of what it looks like — no doubt, visiting the house allows and gives more room for assessing on significant matters, such as condition inspection (per se), layout design and appeal over-all. Spend a lot of time in these visits — examine every room, notice any damage or repairs to be made, and imagine yourself living there.

There are always things to note during each visit, so make sure that you keep records and take some photos as well — it will save you when all the properties you're seeing start blending together.

And check back soon for the next part of our First-Time Homebuyer Checklist, where we'll discuss why you need a home inspection and how to put together an offer! Happy house hunting!

5. Pre-qualify for a mortgage and then pre-approved

Don't let your dream home search take center stage: nearly every potential buyer greatly underestimates how much they can comfortably afford. It is important to get pre-approved for a mortgage, one of the first steps when buying a home

In order to be pre-approved, you must organize your financial qualifications like pay stubs, tax returns and bank statements. By arming yourself with this knowledge you will be in a better position to visit a mortgage lender who, based on your financial profile, can tell you how much they are prepared to lend.

This will let you know what your budget is and in turn lets you search for houses that are within a price range. It also shows the sellers that you are serious about buying and have available funds to do so.

Important note: Not to be confused with pre-qualification, either. Pre-approval is a more detailed process in which the lender double-checks your financial information, while pre-qualification is simply an estimate based on basic info you provide.

Next up–meet the right real estate attorney and review legal documents in Section 7 of our First-Time Homebuyer Checklist for Maryland. Happy house hunting!

6. Arrange for a home inspection Renegotiate on repairs or credits

After you have located a home that fits your financial plan and is sort of what you need, arrange for an inspection. A home inspection assesses all aspects of the property and its overall condition, from foundation to roof. A professional home inspector can expose any unfound problems that will cost you a fortune to fix down the line.

Join your inspector as they complete the inspection and ask questions about any issues you may have. Then you get a comprehensive report with issues or changes to make. With this knowledge, you now have leverage with the seller to resolve these along by asking for repairs or credits if you're going to need those too.

Remember, you want to make an educated decision and protect your investment. Check back for the third part of our First-Time Homebuyer Checklist, in which we will review those last steps you must take as a home buyer.

7. Secure homeowner's insurance

Congratulations! Now you are one step closer to a home purchase for the first time homeowner. When you're in the final steps of buying a home, it is crucial that you have homeowner's insurance in place. Homeowner's insurance is a must-have as it guarantees safety to your investment, also that comes in handy when any incident happens like fire, theft or natural disaster.

First of all, contact insurance providers and collect some quotes from several firms. Compare the options in terms of coverage and how much they cost, to decide on which policy is best for your requirements & budget. The insurer will require details about the property it wants to insure, such as its approximate age and type of construction. This will give them accurate insights into calculating the insurance premium.

Other mortgage lenders will want to see that a homeowner's insurance policy is in place before closing the deal. You want to be dependable together with your lender to have a fast and hassle-free shutting.

Check back soon for part three of our First-Time Homebuyer Checklist to learn what last steps you should be taking before becoming a homeowner!

8. Review AND CO Sign required documentation

After you've gotten approved for homeowner's insurance, it's time to review those packages and sign on the dotted line. These documents are important because they define the terms of your mortgage agreement and legally put you in possession of property.

Please read these documents as they may contain good legal advice. This is a life-changing experience where new homeowners can meet various documents ranging from the purchase agreement to loan agreements and closing disclosure. Those documents will also include key details about the purchase price, interest rates and closing costs.

Open communication during this stage with your real estate agent, lender, and attorney. They can guide and answer the queries or issues if in case you face regarding documents.

Now we come to the last part of our First-Time Homebuyer Checklist - Final Steps Before You Can Call Yourself a Proud Owner, keep an eye out for some nuggets of wisdom to help you sail through the home buying final leg.

9. Close on your new home

You have signed off on all the required documents, and now you can close your new home. This is the last part of acquiring your home, you also qualify this as the final turnover of ownership from seller to yourself.

At the closing, you will have to bring any funds required, such as an amount equal to the down payment and closing costs. You should also prepare to show any documents that your lender asked for as well the proof of insurance.

You will also have a final walk through of the property at closing to make sure everything is just as you expect. It is your opportunity to ensure that repairs or changes agreed upon have been completed.

Finally, when all the paperwork is signed and funds are transferred over… Congratulations! Congratulations, you are the new homeowner of your home. So now it's time to enjoy this exciting occasion and get settled into life in your new hub!

For the last part of our twelve-step checklist for first-time homebuyers, here are a few tips on what to do after moving into your new place. And even more insight to come that will help you transition successfully into your new home.

10. Enjoy your new home. Now you are a homeowner

However, now that you are officially a homeowner, it is time to move in and enjoy the results of your investment. This is a thrilling period in your life, and you can do some different things to make owning a home an easy change.

However, make sure that you spend some time getting to know your new residence. Look in every closet and under the stairs, also write down any needed maintenance or repairs. It can help you to prioritize any tasks that require doing and make sure your home stays in a good condition.

You go to the next stop and start unpacking so that you can breathe your own life into your new home. Take out your things and decorate the space in a way that suits you, your family or depending on who is using this place. Hang pictures of things that make you happy, serene and at peace. Oh, and make sure to get power setup or any other utility service that you require like internet/cable.

Finally, do not forget to visit your new neighbors and mingle with the Society!!! When you work on your connections and truly make an effort to build a network of support, it enriches the lives as homeowners, we can lead. Get involved in any local event or community group.

Having a home is one of the biggest accomplishments, and we need to appreciate it as well. Appreciate the dedication, efforts and planning that was involved in actually making this dream come true. Welcome to the club and congratulations!