There are almost 4 million homes and apartments in North Carolina. Do you want to buy one of them?
Are you thinking about making a move to the Tar Heel State? Are you wondering what it takes to buy a home in North Carolina?
If so, here are 11 steps you’ll need to take.
1. Find a Trustworthy Realtor
The right realtor will help you to find the best places to buy a home in North Carolina.
Of course, you can always read more now about North Carolina real estate. A realtor can offer an insider’s view of the area, though, and teach you more than internet research alone can.
Here are some tips that will help you find a trustworthy realtor:
- Look for someone who’s local (They’ll know the area better than anyone else)
- Find someone who specializes in helping clients like you (Are you a first-time homebuyer? A retiree?)
- Read reviews and testimonials from past clients
Don’t forget to look into your realtor’s license and credentials, too. Make sure they’re in good standing and are qualified to help you find a home.
2. Get Pre-Approved
When you’re getting ready to buy a house, it’s best to get pre-approved before you start searching. Pre-approval will help you to know how much you can borrow from the bank. With that information in mind, you can avoid falling in love with a house that’s way outside of your budget.
3. Start Your Search
Once you have a realtor on your team and know what you can afford, your next job is to start searching for a house.
You can use real estate websites like Zillow to get an idea of what’s available in North Carolina. This is a good starting point.
Remember, though, that your realtor will also be able to show you properties that aren’t listed on these sites. They’ll keep your goals and needs in mind so you can find the perfect property for yourself and your family.
4. Review Listings with Care
When you’re searching for homes, be sure to review each listing with care. Take note of the size of the house, how old it is, how many bedrooms and bathrooms it has, and, of course, the sale price.
Check to see if there are any potential issues, too. Is it a pre-foreclosure house? Does the listing say that it “needs some TLC?” These aren’t necessarily dealbreakers, but they’re important to keep in mind.
5. Put in a Purchase Offer
Once you’ve found a house that meets all of your needs, you can work with your realtor to put in a purchase offer. The realtor will guide you through this process and help you fill out all the necessary paperwork so you can get your offer in as quickly as possible.
Depending on the house’s price and location, as well as the market in the area you’re thinking about buying, offers can come in fast. You’ll need to be fast, too, if you want a chance at having your offer considered.
6. Negotiate with Seller
Often, when you’re getting ready to buy a house, you’ll need to negotiate with the seller. This is especially common if several people have put in offers on the house.
Your agent can help you with these negotiations. They’ll ensure that you still get a good price for the house and protect you so you don’t get taken advantage of.
7. Take Care of Contingencies
If you look at any guide to buying a home, there will likely be some contingencies that you need to take care of before you can actually close on it. For example, you will need to schedule inspections of the property to ensure everything is structurally sound.
The results of the inspection can help you feel confident that you’re not spending your hard-earned money on a house that needs a lot of expensive repairs.
Inspection results can also provide you with leverage for future negotiations. If the house needs a lot of work, for example, you might be able to negotiate a lower price or require the seller to take care of repairs before you move forward and close on the house.
8. Get Your Mortgage Approved
If you got pre-approved for your mortgage early on in the process, this step is simple. You’ll just need to make sure all of your paperwork is properly filled out. As long as everything is okay here, you can feel confident that your mortgage will be approved without any issues.
9. Get Title Insurance
Title insurance provides you with some extra protection during the home buying process. If there’s a defect or mistake in the title from the previous owner, someone might be able to make a legal claim against the property.
When you invest in title insurance, you’ll be protected if this happens, and you’ll be able to save a lot of time and money.
10. Attend the Pre-Closing Inspection
One of the final steps in the home buying process is the pre-closing inspection.
It’s always a good idea for homebuyers to attend this inspection. It helps you ensure everything is in the right place and make sure there isn’t any lingering damage that should have been addressed after your first inspection.
11. Close on Your House
Once the pre-closing inspection is complete, you’ll be able to go ahead and close on your new house in North Carolina!
The final steps of the closing process usually last about an hour. Once all the papers are signed, the house is yours.
From here, you’ll be able to move in, get settled, and start exploring all the great things North Carolina has to offer.
Buy a Home in North Carolina Today
Now that you know what’s involved in the process, are you ready to go ahead and buy a home in North Carolina?
If so, you know what to do. Follow these steps and you’ll be buying a home in North Carolina before you know it!
Need more advice on how to buy a home? Check out the Real Estate section of our site today.
