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5 Important Tips for First-Time Home Buyers in Omaha

by Nancy Heim-berg

Are you ready to buy your first home in Omaha?

The returns on investments in real estate can be daunting at first, but everyone appreciates their investments once they see them. Rather than giving all your money to a landlord, when you buy a home, you're saving for a better future.

Do you want to become a first-time home buyer in Omaha but aren't sure where to start? You can find your perfect home by following these five helpful tips.

1. Large Down Payments Aren't Always Necessary

We've all heard that an aspiring homebuyer needs to save 20% of their dream home's value for a down payment. Down payments are important as they reduce interest payments over the course of time, but huge savings aren't a requirement.

Many lenders will be willing to work with you on adjusting your down payment, depending on your credit score. Even if your credit score isn’t perfect, you can usually still make a lower down payment if needed.

2. Your Monthly Payment Isn't Just Your Mortgage

Once you become a homeowner, you have to do a lot of math to figure out how much your bills will change. There are other costs that you cannot overlook in addition to your mortgage.

In addition to taxes and repairs, insurance can also take a bite out of your paycheck. Make sure you can afford your entire home rather than your mortgage.

3. You Should Shop for Mortgage Loan Officers

You aren't stuck with a mortgage from your bank once you're ready to start shopping for houses. You should shop for mortgage providers before house hunting so you can secure the greatest deal.

Not only should your mortgage be large enough to allow you to purchase your favorite home, but it should also come with a low-interest rate that won't bury you in debt over the years.

4. Your Home Search Should Include Surrounding Areas

If you're a homebody, then the home itself will be a major factor when it comes to your sale. However, you should also pay attention to the surrounding area as well.

Does the neighborhood feel safe? Will you have plenty of nice stores and activities nearby when you feel like getting out of the house?

5. You Can Always Tweak to Create Your Dream Home

You can't be too nitpicky when you're browsing homes. You'll never find a home you adore unless you build one from scratch.

Learn to be lenient and focus on homes that have great potential rather than turning away good homes that need small improvements.

Being a first home buyer comes with all kinds of emotions. After absorbing these tips, you can get ready to face any worries you may have and find a stunning new property to call home in Omaha.

If you're ready to start your first-time home buying journey, contact us today.

Have your home needs changed in the past year? Perhaps you’ve outgrown your present home, or need to downsize to a more suitable home. If you’re ready to make a move, let’s connect and talk about all the amazing opportunities that are available to you!

Two Terms To Understand When Buying Your Omaha, NE Home - Pre-qualified Vs. Pre-approved If you are a first-time home buyer you may come across words or phrases during the buying process that you are unfamiliar with, thus causing a level of confusion and unnecessary stress. Two of those terms may be pre-qualified and pre-approved – and while they sound similar, it is crucial that you understand the differences.

And as you may have guessed, that is exactly what we are going to be covering in today’s blog post. We want to ensure you are equipped with all the knowledge possible to make the home buying process as enjoyable as possible. Because after all, it’s an exciting and wonderful time! Let’s jump in: 

For home buyers, one of the first steps in the mortgage process is to get pre-qualified for a home loan. Essentially this step allows you to provide the lender with an overview of your financial picture and can typically be done online or over the phone. You can expect to provide things such as debts, assets, income, etc. The lender will then evaluate your information and provide you an estimate of the mortgage that you may qualify for. 
*It is important to note that this is not a complete assessment of your ability to purchase a home, but simply will provide you an idea of what you can potentially be approved for. This also does not take into account your credit report. 

The pre-approval process, on the other hand, is more in depth and a much more involved process. This process requires the home buyer to complete an official mortgage application, in addition to providing items such as credit reports and bank statements. The lender will then do a very thorough assessment of your provided information and can submit an exact mortgage amount that you are approved for. Being armed with this information is crucial when starting your home search as you will understand exactly how much home you can afford and not waste time on properties out of your price range.  

 

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Photo of Heim-Berg Team Real Estate
Heim-Berg Team
Berkshire Hathaway
331 Village Pointe Plaza
Omaha NE 68118
(402) 677-9024
(402) 679-7108 | (402) 830-6123
Fax: 402-493-4805

Stacey OHara CMG financial 515-306-2360

 

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