Once the decision to buy a home has been made, take the time to prepare before you go on your home search. Yes, it is very tempting to rush out and actually look at houses, but to do so without full preparation can be both disastrous and expensive. You will find that "house hunting" is down on the list.

Get your financial affairs in order first! I can't stress this enough! It will save you an enormous amount of time, aggravation and heartache.

Determine what your budget will comfortably allow and stick to it. Don't spend yourself into a "house poor" situation.

Get preapproved for a mortgage. This will not only give you a clear idea of how much a lender will approve for you, it will make your home buying process a great deal easier (and save a lot of time later). We can also tell you about lenders we work with and recommend. (There are a lot of lenders out here, not all created equal)

Get familiar with the different housing types available to narrow your search.

Determine your minimum requirements as well as any desired additional features that you need or want.

Take notes of any items that you do or don't want in a house.

Determine the desired location (schools, work, public transportation, etc.)  In the city? Surrounding suburbs?

Familiarize yourself with the mortgage process.

As you are looking, use a scorecard to compare homes. A scorecard is a great tool when it comes time for comparisons and for remembering which home had which features.

When you find something you like, we can pull recent comparables and researches the property. This way you know the true value and what an appropriate offer would be.

Information & Books on Taxes & Form 1031 to defer the payment of capital gains.

Information & Books on Investing in Real Estate