{"id":655,"date":"2024-04-18T09:38:00","date_gmt":"2024-04-18T14:38:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/jessicakouzmanoff.com\/?page_id=655"},"modified":"2024-04-18T09:40:48","modified_gmt":"2024-04-18T14:40:48","slug":"first-time-buyers","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/jessicakouzmanoff.com\/index.php\/first-time-buyers\/","title":{"rendered":"First Time Buyers"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-page\" data-elementor-id=\"655\" class=\"elementor elementor-655\" data-elementor-post-type=\"page\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-f5dff7d elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"f5dff7d\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-background-overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-no\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-5b1a3a4\" data-id=\"5b1a3a4\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2342d71 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"2342d71\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h1 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">First Time Buyers<\/span><\/h1>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-33cce218 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"33cce218\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-no\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-615e8ffe\" data-id=\"615e8ffe\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-06b4075 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"06b4075\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">If you are a first-time home buyer, use the guide below for helpful hints and tips and learn how to avoid common mistakes when buying your first home in Chicagoland.<\/span><\/p><ul><li><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Pre-Qualification:<\/strong>\u00a0Meet with a mortgage broker and find out how much you can afford to pay for a home.<\/span><\/li><li><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Pre-Approval:<\/strong>\u00a0While knowing how much you can afford is the first step, sellers will be much more receptive to potential buyers who have been pre-approved. You&#8217;ll also avoid being disappointed when going after homes that are out of your price range. With Pre-Approval, the buyer actually applies for a mortgage and receives a commitment in writing from a lender. This way, assuming the home you&#8217;re interested in is at or under the amount you are pre-qualified for, the seller knows immediately that you are a serious buyer for that property. Costs for pre-approval are generally nominal and lenders will usually permit you to pay them when you close your loan.<\/span><\/li><li><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>List of Needs &amp; Wants:<\/strong>\u00a0Make 2 lists. The first should include items you must have (i.e., the number of bedrooms you need for the size of your family, a one-story house if accessibility is a factor, etc.). The second list is your wishes &#8211; things you would like to have (pool, den, etc.) but that are not absolutely necessary. Realistically for first-time buyers, you probably will not get everything on your wish list, but it will keep you on track for what you are looking for.<\/span><\/li><li><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Representation by a Professional:<\/strong>\u00a0Consider hiring your own real estate agent, one who is working for you, the buyer, not the seller.<\/span><\/li><li><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Focus &amp; Organization:<\/strong>\u00a0In a convenient location, keep handy the items that will assist you in maximizing your home search efforts. Such items may include:<\/span><\/li><\/ul><ol><li style=\"list-style-type: none;\"><ol><li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">One or more detailed maps with your areas of interest highlighted.<\/span><\/li><li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">A list or file of the properties that your agent has shown to you.<\/span><\/li><li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Paper and pen for taking notes as you search.<\/span><\/li><li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">A camera to snap pictures of homes you have toured to help you remember your favories and features you really liked.<\/span><\/li><\/ol><\/li><\/ol><ul><li><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Visualize the house empty &amp; with your decor:<\/strong>\u00a0Are the rooms laid out to fit your needs? Is there enough light?<\/span><\/li><li><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Be Objective:<\/strong>\u00a0Instead of thinking with your heart when you find a home, think with your head. Does this home really meet your needs? There are many houses on the market, so don&#8217;t make a hurried decision that you may regret later.<\/span><\/li><li><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Be Thorough:<\/strong>\u00a0A few extra dollars well spent now may save you big expenses in the long run. Don&#8217;t forget such essentials as:<\/span><\/li><\/ul><ol><li style=\"list-style-type: none;\"><ol><li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Include inspection &amp; mortgage contingencies in your written offer.<\/span><\/li><li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Have the property inspected by a professional inspector.<\/span><\/li><li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Request a second walk-through to take place within 24 hours of closing.<\/span><\/li><li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">You want to check to see that no changes have been made that were not agreed on (i.e., a nice chandelier that you assumed came with the sale having been replaced by a cheap ceiling light).<\/span><\/li><\/ol><\/li><\/ol><p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>All the above may seem rather overwhelming.<\/strong>\u00a0That is why having a professional represent you and keep track of all the details for you is highly recommended. Please\u00a0<a style=\"color: #000000;\" title=\"Contact Us\" href=\"https:\/\/www.crosstownrealtors.com\/contact\/\">contact us<\/a>\u00a0directly to discuss any of these matters in further detail.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-43dfa2d6\" data-id=\"43dfa2d6\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2e53e10b elementor-widget elementor-widget-template\" data-id=\"2e53e10b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"template.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-template\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>First Time Buyers If you are a first-time home buyer, use the guide below for helpful hints and tips and learn how to avoid common mistakes when buying your first home in Chicagoland. Pre-Qualification:\u00a0Meet with a mortgage broker and find out how much you can afford to pay for a home. Pre-Approval:\u00a0While knowing how much [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"elementor_header_footer","meta":{"footnotes":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/jessicakouzmanoff.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/655"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/jessicakouzmanoff.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/jessicakouzmanoff.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jessicakouzmanoff.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jessicakouzmanoff.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=655"}],"version-history":[{"count":13,"href":"https:\/\/jessicakouzmanoff.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/655\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":706,"href":"https:\/\/jessicakouzmanoff.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/655\/revisions\/706"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/jessicakouzmanoff.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=655"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}