Buyers

Today’s Pro Talk is about the first step buyers need to take to purchase a home. We recommend that you have an idea of your purchasing power  and how much of a home you can afford. You need to apply for a loan with a financial institution to find out how much money you will receive as a loan. Having a letter from a lender with a predetermined loan amount, will help you not to waste your time looking at homes which will not fit your budget.

There are two such letters provided by the lenders, pre-qualification and pre-approval. We will explain the difference between Pre-Qualification and Pre-Approval letter.

Getting pre-qualified for a loan is a very easy process. You provide the lender approximate income, the amount of debt you have, your work information, and any other details from your credit history. The lender uses this information to calculate how much money you are eligible to receive.

The pre-approval letter is more involved than pre-qualification process. The reason being, you will have to fill out a loan application and provide necessary documentation. The lender will examine and verify your financial situation including your credit report, your employment history,and your income and decide how much you can borrow and what rate to offer you.

Benefit of pr-eapproval letter: It not only provides you with peace of mind  and more certainty to borrow money but also increases your purchasing power. As an experienced Realtors,We don’t recommend to use pre-qualification letter as a tool to start the buying process.

As part of our services, we have access to lenders with different loan products and we can recommend one to you depending on your financial needs  and situation.

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Moving into a new home is an exciting time, and you’re probably daydreaming about decor and paint schemes and new furniture. But before you get into the fun stuff, there are some basics you should cover first.

Change the locks

Even if you’re promised that new locks have been installed in your home, you can never be too careful. It’s worth the money to have the peace of mind that comes with knowing that no one else has the keys to your home. Changing the locks can be a DIY project, or you can call in a locksmith for a little extra money.

Steam clean the carpets

It’s good to get a fresh start with your floors before you start decorating. The previous owners may have had pets, young children, or just some plain old clumsiness. Take the time to steam clean the carpets so that your floors are free of stains and allergens. It’s pretty easy and affordable to rent a steam cleaner—your local grocery store may have them available.

Call an exterminator

Prior to move-in, you probably haven’t spent enough time in the house to get a view of any pests that may be lurking. Call an exterminator to take care of any mice, insects, and other critters that may be hiding in your home.

Clean out the kitchen

If the previous occupants wanted to skip on some of their cleaning duties when they moved out, the kitchen is where they probably cut corners. Wipe down the inside of cabinets, clean out the refrigerator, clean the oven, and clean in the nooks and crannies underneath the appliances.

Your Dream Real Estate is a full brokerage and property management company in Houston. When it comes to personal on-the-job safety, real estate professionals are in a unique position. Because the nature of this business creates unusual safety concerns, it is critical to rely on certain protocols when working with every client.

Initial Meeting:

Instead of meeting you as a client for the first time at a vacant home we prefer to meet with you at our office or any public places. Please don’t be offended, after all you do not want to meet with a stranger at a vacant house, would you?

Documentations

At this meeting don’t be surprised if your realtor wants to make a copy of your id, mortgage pre-approval letter and gets more details about an emergency contact information. These are components of safety procedure.

Driving

Of the precautions we have adopted in our policies is to ask our clients to drive separately in their cars when it comes to taking a tour of the homes. After all once the tour is finished clients or realtors may have some commitments that they have to attend to.

Touring Homes

Don’t be surprised if your realtor walks behind you while touring the homes. This routine habit is not only a safety precaution; it allows you to see the rooms first and get better views of spaces. Also, your realtor may decline to accompany you into basements, closets, or attics, but you should feel free to have a look around.

Vacant Properties

The best time to tour properties will be during the day time specially when the hooue is vacant. You may not see the defects that exist in the house, fore example you may walk in upstairs there could be loose step and you fall. So that’s not safe for realtor and the client.

Neighborhoods

If you ask your realtor about the safety of a neighborhood, please remember fair housing laws doesn’t let real estate professionals to act in any behavior that can be viewed as steering people toward or away certain areas. Instead your realtor can provide resources that you can use and see where you’ll feel comfortable.