That depends, on your income and other financial obligations; plug them into Realtor.com’s Home Affordability Calculator for a ballpark figure.  And do it before you start shopping, if you see houses you love outside your price range, it opens you up to disappointment.  Meeting with a lender to get pre-approved for a home loan is the best way to know what you can afford.  (added bonus:  pre-approval makes you much more attractive to sellers).

While buyers often wonder if a home inspection is truly necessary, most Realtors unequivocally say yes, yes, and yes. A home inspector takes a weight off of your shoulders by looking into the condition of the roof, electricity, heating and air, plumbing, etc. Ensuring these things work prevents you from paying to fix them in the future. If some things are not up to par, you can negotiate with the seller to get those fixed before you sign the paperwork.

It’s up to you, while home shoppers these days can look at hundreds of homes online, they only typically check out 10 homes on average before they put in an offer.  But keep in mind, this varies for each person some people find their home within hours for others, it can take months.

Purchasing a home will most likely be the single largest investment you will make, so it is important to make sure you find a home that meets your current and future needs.  It’s best not to look at just one home, but also not to look at more than 6 or 7 in one day.  It’s common to confuse the features if you view too many in one day.  Bring a notepad and pen and take notes on your likes and dislikes of each home.

While there’s no crystal ball on whether a certain home is a bargain and will appreciate, rest assured that with research, you can keep surprises to a minimum. The best way is to check out what similar properties are selling for in the area

As a rule of thumb, knocking 5% off the list price won’t ruffle any feathers. If it’s been sitting on the market for months, you can venture below that, but the bottom line is, You never know how low a seller will go, the worst they can do is say no to your offer.

As a buyer, you have the option to perform a final walk-through.  Is a final walk through a requirement?   NO.  Is a final walk through necessary?  YES.  Generally, when buying a home several weeks go by between when you last walked through your home.  Lots of things can change during that time.  When doing a final walk through a few things you should check is that furnace is working, the toilets are flushing properly, and there is hot water.

Typical escrow periods are 30 to 45 days. This gives you enough time  to have inspections on the property and get a loan completed