Cedar Rapids Property Search

Cedar Rapids Property Search

Pat yourself on the back. You have saved enough money for the down payment. Now is the time for a Cedar Rapids property search. How do you now go from looking online at dozens of Cedar Rapids houses for sale in your price range to actually making an offer? Here are 6 Tips for First Time Home Buyers.

1. Before your Cedar Rapids property search, get pre-qualified – talking to different lenders and seeing not only who offers the best rates and terms, but also manageable fees and costs. Lender fees can vary quite a bit from one to the next. The mortgage industry has three main types of lenders: big banks and credit unions, mortgage bankers and mortgage brokers. The big banks have checking and savings accounts and car loans and home loans and just about anything you might need for your financial needs. Mortgage bankers focus on home loans and they use their own funds to make loans. Mortgage brokers contract with banks, mortgage bankers and private lenders to arrange for home loans. Pre-qualification gives you great information about how much house you can afford and allows you to move quickly if you find the right house.
2. Get professional help – Find a realtor you can trust. Yes, you have unprecedented internet access to sellers’ information, but a realtor has years of experience that can help you with everything from the area, the appraising of a dwelling, the paperwork, the comparisons, and negotiation on price. If you need help finding a qualified agent, Harmony Property Solutions, LLC knows many agents we can refer you to for help with your Cedar Rapids property search. Keep in mind that can also help you find your dream home.  Sometimes we allow buyers to choose finishes in the house before we have finished the rehab, that way you can customize the home to your liking.
3. Check out the schools – When you begin your Cedar Rapids property search you must check out the schools. What is the reputation? Can the kids walk to school? Is there an alternative school available, like a charter school or parochial school if the public school doesn’t work out? As you walk the neighborhood, look at the houses in the neighborhood. Are the homes well maintained? Are the lawns mowed and edged? Where are cars parked? Talk with your neighbors. Are they friendly? Do they have kids? Do they have anything good or bad to say about your house of interest?
4. Always hire a home inspector – You should hire your own home inspector, preferably an engineer with experience in doing home surveys in the area where you are buying. His or her job will be to point out potential problems that could require costly repairs down the road.
5. Beware of sleeper costs – Comparing the monthly mortgage payments to paying rent is only part of the story. The bank may require property taxes and insurance to be part of the monthly mortgage payment. Then there’s the unexpected. When a couple I know first moved into their house, the front, cement porch collapsed costing them $1.500 to repair.
6. Only a fool signs papers without reading them. Read the papers. Make sure you understand your obligations. If you feel insecure, hire a real estate attorney. This is the biggest purchase you may ever make. Do it the right way.

Harmony Property Solutions, LLC is here to help homeowners out of any kind of distressed situation.  As investors, we are in business to make a modest profit on any deal, however we can help homeowners out of just about any situation, no matter what!  There are no fees, upfront costs, commissions, or anything else.  Just the simple honest truth about your home and how we can help you sell it fast to resolve any situation.

Harmony Property Solutions, LLC is part of a nationwide group of thousands of investors who are helping tens of thousands of homeowners every year.  We may not be the “traditional” route, but we CAN help and we can do it quickly!

Give us a call today at 319-343-6773 to let us know what YOU need help with!