Courtesy of Jack Slonager, REALTOR®

Ten Steps to Prepare for Home Ownership

1. Decide how much home you can afford. Generally, you can afford a home equal in value to between 2 and 3 times your gross income.

2. Develop a wish list of what you’d like your home to have. Then prioritize the features on your list.

3. Select three or four neighborhoods you’d like to live in. Consider items such as schools, recreational facilities, area expansion plans, and safety.

4. Determine if you have enough saved to cover your downpayment and closing costs. Closing costs, including taxes, attorney’s fee, and transfer fees average between 2 and 7 percent of the home price.

5. Get your credit in order. Obtain a copy of your credit report.

6. Determine how large a mortgage you can qualify for. Also explore different loans options and decide what’s best for you.

7. Organize all the documentation a lender will need to preapprove you for a loan.

8. Do research to determine if you qualify for any special mortgage or downpayment assistance programs.

9. Calculate the costs of homeownership, including property taxes, insurance, maintenance, and association fees, if applicable.

10. Find an experienced REALTOR® who can help you through the process.

www.REALTOR.org/realtormag Reprinted from REALTOR® Magazine Online by permission of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® . Copyright 2003. All rights reserved.

Click here for printer-friendly format

Contact Me!

Let me help you find "your slice of paradise" here in beautiful Southwest Florida!  Buyers, now is the time to find the deals.  Tell me what you are looking for, and I will email you properties that match your needs!

I am pleased to offer you the Dream Home Automated Home Search.  Sleep and Dream of your new home while my Dream Home Program does the work of searching for a home for you!

Our program searches the participating Multiple Listing Service database using your preset “Dream Home” criteria, matches homes with the details you want and emails them to you the day the home enters the market.

Now, at your leisure, you can review the latest properties (with the features you are most interested in) the day they become available. When you find a home you want to see, call or e-mail to arrange for your personal viewing.

Please enter your requirements below for a complete report on properties which meet your needs. Please include your valid e-mail address for responses.
* Required fields are blue
First Name
Last Name
E-mail
Phone
Type of Home:	Single-family Multifamily Town-Home Condo Land Commercial Investment Residential Patio-Home
Desirable Communities and/or Towns:
Price Range:	$0 $10,000 $20,000 $30,000 $40,000 $50,000 $60,000 $70,000 $75,000 $100,000 $125,000 $150,000 $175,000 $200,000 $225,000 $250,000 $275,000 $300,000 $325,000 $350,000 $400,000 $450,000 $500,000 $550,000 $600,000 $650,000 $700,000 $750,000 $800,000 $850,000 $900,000 $1,000,000 $1,500,000 $2,000,000 $2,500,000 $3,000,000 $3,500,000 $4,000,000 $4,500,000 $5,000,000 $6,000,000 $8,000,000 $10,000,000 no minimum to $10,000 $20,000 $30,000 $40,000 $50,000 $60,000 $70,000 $75,000 $100,000 $125,000 $150,000 $175,000 $200,000 $225,000 $250,000 $275,000 $300,000 $325,000 $350,000 $400,000 $450,000 $500,000 $550,000 $600,000 $650,000 $700,000 $750,000 $800,000 $850,000 $900,000 $1,000,000 $1,500,000 $2,000,000 $2,500,000 $3,000,000 $3,500,000 $4,000,000 $4,500,000 $5,000,000 $6,000,000 $8,000,000 $10,000,000 no maximum
Minimum Number of Bedrooms:	1 2 3 4 5
Minimum Number of Bathrooms	1 2 3 4 5
Minimum Square Footage:	any 600 800 1000 1200 1800 2000 2250 2500 2750 3000 3500 4000
Time Frame to Buy / Sell / Invest:	Immediately Three months Six months Six to twelve months Three to six-months Twelve to twentyfour months One year
Address
City
State/Province	Alabama Alaska Alberta Arizona Arkansas British Columbia California Colorado Connecticut Delaware District Of Columbia Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Manitoba Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Brunswick New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Ontario Oregon Pennsylvania Puerto Rico Rhode Island Saskatchewan South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virgin Islands Virginia Washington Washington DC West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming
ZIP/Postal Code
Special Requirements