Your Plan

1. Find the right agent
Even if you're not quite ready to buy, your buyer's agent can be an absolute wealth of information and can often offer 'scoops' on local developments you might not have known about otherwise. Speak to your agent first and he or she can be of help to guide you right from the start.

2. Determine your price range
Online mortgage calculators are a good place to start but, as you get closer to being ready to buy, there is no substitute for a written mortgage pre-approval. Just speaking to your lender is an extremely worthwhile venture - this is the only way to really get an in-depth evaluation of your overall financial position and to discover exactly what you can reasonably afford to spend on a home (and renovations if necessary).

3. Learn about your local market
The internet can be incredibly valuable in doing preparatory research. Start with your agent - he or she can direct you to valuable resources and immediately start e-mailing you real estate listings that may interest you or, at the very least, give you an idea of what is available in the marketplace.

4. Establish your needs and wants
Compose a needs/wants list that takes into consideration your local market conditions, your price range, and the advice of your real estate agent.

5. Find your dream home!
Once you are ready to act, you may be surprised by how quickly you can make a decision. Armed with your pre-approval, a little market knowledge, and your needs/wants list, call your real estate agent, hit the pavement and, when you find "your dream house", put in an offer.

With AmState, it really can be that easy!


Avoid The Most Common Buyer Errors
Shopping for a new home is an emotional experience. It's also time consuming and comes with a myriad of details. Often times buyers, who are caught up in the excitement of buying a new home, tend to overlook some items. Their home purchase turns into an expensive proposition. Common buying mistakes generally fall into three areas:

~ Paying too much
~ Losing a dream home to another buyer
~ Buying the wrong home.

To help you get started on buying your new home, take advantage of these valuable resources.