Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
So are a lot of real estate agents. Go half down the page of this article for some great tips realtors won't share with you because they think it will hurt their chances of closing for a commission.
BOULDER REAL ESTATE: Tips for home buyers and sellers in 2009 : homes : Boulder Daily Camera (http://www.dailycamera.com/news/2009/jan/01/boulder-real-estate-tips-home-buyers-and-sellers-2/ - broken link)
You could spend your time reading a book, or you could go find an agent to help you through the process. The agent is free, the book will cost you. The agent has experience, you still will be inexperienced after reading a book. The professional does it every day, you will only have read a book.
So I suggest meeting with a few agents and find the one who explains the process the best and you feel good about and hire that person.
There are some great books out there. I would recommend that you go to your local Barnes&Noble or Borders and there is a whole section there. They have books on flipping houses, studying to obtain a license, commercial real estate, every niche in real estate you can think of. You can find one tailored to whatever you're looking to do in the real estate world.
There are also some first time home buyer classes. They are usually co-taught by a lender, agent, and home inspector...and yes they do them because they want your business, but it could be a good source of information for you.
There are also some really good bloggers out there with good information on their blogs. Google "your town real estate blogs" or something like that and see if you can find an agent blogger that has some good first time home buyer information.
There are also some good basic home inspection books that you can get on Amazon that talk about red flags in homes. They shouldn't replace an actual home inspection, but I think I have three that had some good pictures and information. You can also google "home inspectors your town blogs" and see what you get.
ActiveRain is also a real estate blog site that has many different industry professionals that blog about their area, you can look up your area and read some local information. Knowing what the local issues are is essential when you look at purchasing a home. A book won't teach you that. Find local information.
So are a lot of real estate agents. Go half down the page of this article for some great tips realtors won't share with you because they think it will hurt their chances of closing for a commission.
BOULDER REAL ESTATE: Tips for home buyers and sellers in 2009 : homes : Boulder Daily Camera (http://www.dailycamera.com/news/2009/jan/01/boulder-real-estate-tips-home-buyers-and-sellers-2/ - broken link)
There is absolutely nothing in the article that a good agent will withhold from a buyer. It is actually quite barren of useful information compared to the help a good agent will offer.
We earn the commission by sharing a heckuva lot more than shallow articles like that offer, particularly when combined with our knowledge of local information.
The OP would do well to visit Trulia and ask questions for on line responses. While there will be some solicitations from hapless agents, there is also some exchange of great information.
The OP may do well to visit sites like ActiveRain to read Real Estate Agent blogs, and lender blogs, and absorb some helpful information.
Those blogs may point the OP to agent blogs in the appropriate locale, where information of more local applicability are posted.
And the OP can ask questions here about general home buying information, and in their local CD forums and get information there.
I second "Home Buying for Dummies". It covers a broad amount of information about first time home buying.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
