PDD Central Home Buying
PDD Central Home Buying
PDD Central Home Buying
home-buying
team
Your team of helpers
There are people who are trained to
help you buy your home. It is a good
idea to have a team of them. Some of
the team members you must use.
Others you do not have to use, but
they can be very helpful. Without
them, you may make mistakes which
can cost a lot. If you have a team to
help, you need not have so many worries.
2 Buying a Home
help you buy. The cost of the REALTOR is often paid by
the vendor (the seller of the home).
REALTORs will help you to find the kind of home you
want, at the kind of price you can pay. They can take
you to look at homes until you find the one you like
best. They will help you fill in some of the papers
when you offer to buy. When you buy a home, it is
often called a home purchase.
Ask people you know if they can tell you about a
REALTOR they think is good. Then meet with the
REALTOR to say just what you need and how much you
think you can spend. If you think this
person does not listen to you, or
wants you to buy a home that you
are not sure about, look for another
one. It is very important that you find
a REALTOR you can work with.
Mortgage broker
If you are not sure where to get your mortgage, you
may want to ask a mortgage broker to help you find
one. This person will look for the best place for you to
4 Buying a Home
get money, with the lowest interest rates. The broker
will often be paid for the service by the lender, not
you. But make sure to ask, in case you
will have to pay.
Lawyer
You must have a lawyer. A home is the
biggest thing you will ever buy, so it is
important to make sure there are no
mistakes in the papers. Lawyers work
on different kinds of law, so find one
who knows a lot about home purchase.
Your REALTOR may know a good lawyer you can go to.
If the lawyer makes you feel scared or stupid, find
another lawyer. You do not need that.
You must pay the lawyer. Before you begin to work
with a lawyer, ask how much money it
will cost you. It will be about $500.
Legal papers are written in a way that
is hard to understand. Make sure your
lawyer has told you carefully and
clearly what each paper means. Ask if
you did not understand something.
Ask again if you need to. It is your
lawyer’s job to help you understand
papers before you sign them.
Appraiser
If you have a mortgage, the company
lending you the money will usually need
an appraiser to look at the home you want
Home inspector
Unless the home is new, or has papers
to show it has been inspected in the last
year or two, it is important to pay for a
home inspection. This may cost up to $350. The
inspector will look all over the home, inside and out,
and will tell you if anything needs to be fixed (and how
much the repairs may cost). This inspection should be
done before you sign the final paper to buy the home.
If the home inspection shows something that needs to
be fixed, you can change your mind about the home,
or ask for the price to be less. A home inspection is not
the same as an appraisal. It is for you.
6 Buying a Home
There are 2 different kinds of insurance you must pay,
and a third one which may also be good to have:
Handy workers
You may need workers after you have been in the
home for some time, just to fix up things and do some
8 Buying a Home
little repairs. It is always a good idea to
know the name of a good plumber and
someone to help you fix the stove or
fridge. If you hear about a good worker,
keep the name of that person so you
will know who to call when you need
help.
Occupational therapist
(sounds like oc-u-PAY-shon-al THAIR-a-pist)
These therapists do not give you exercises. But they
can tell your builder or renovator how to make your
home comfortable. Not everyone needs this person,
but if you have a disability, it is
really important to know that your
home will be accessible (easy to
get around) and you can do things
for yourself. You may need to
have many things changed. You
may need lower work tops in the
kitchen, so you can sit down to
work. You may need grab bars beside the bath, so you
can get in and out. These are just 2 of the things that
the therapist may say you need.
Movers
Unless you plan to move all
your things yourself, or you
have friends and family to help,
you will need a moving
company. Do the same here as
for the builder — ask people
Book 4: Your Home-buying Team 9
you know if there are movers they think are good. Get
the company to give you a written paper which says
how much the move will cost. You can ask more than
one company before you choose the one you think
will be best. It is a good idea to take out a small
insurance just for the move, in case your things get
broken. Your home insurance will not cover damage
that happens outside your home.
Now you have your team. All these people are there to
help you. You do not need to feel you are all alone in
the big job of buying a home.