Recommended resources for home buyers?

[kddani]

I know there's been a thread on home buying before... but I wanted to get some slightly different info.

I'm looking to buy something in about a year. I know zip about real estate, etc. I would probably get a townhouse, or possibly a condo because it's just me and I don't really want to deal with a big yard and all that. It's probably not something that i'll live in for more than a few years and i'm also looking at it as somewhat of an investment.

Does anybody have any books, websites, etc. they would suggest as resources? I picked up Home Buying for Dummies and "Fix It and Flip It" today at Barnes and Noble (as ultimately i'd like to make some improvements and make a bit more money on it).

[valkyrie]

I'm sure you already know about realtor.com. You should check out Zillow to see what home values have been doing. You can search by address (a good idea if you're interested in a specific area or building).

Make sure you become very familiar with home values and trends where you are. In some areas, it's possible to make gobs of money on a condo, and in some areas, it isn't.

[aephi alum]

Talk to a realtor. As the buyer, you pay nothing for the realtor's services; the seller pays the commissions to both the buyer's and seller's realtors.

As valkyrie suggested, look at realtor.com to get an idea of what's available. The main disadvantage of realtor.com is that it doesn't provide addresses, so you may not be able to tell if a property is on a cul-de-sac, on a busy street, near a highway or railroad track, etc. When I bought my current house last fall, I brought listings I found on realtor.com to my realtor, and she threw half of them out because I'd told her I didn't want to live on a heavily trafficked street.

[valkyrie]

That's weird -- whenever I've looked at realtor.com, it always gives addresses. It must differ by location. I've noticed that it gives square footage in some areas but not others. Odd.

If you do talk to a realtor, see if he or she will send you email updates of suitable properties. I'm pretty sure most/all realtors can set up something where you automatically receive listings once a week or so. That's how we found our house.

[kddani]

Great suggestions! Like I said, i'm about a year out from buying. I'm just renewing my lease for the next year, I need to save up some down payment money.

How did you guys pick what realtor to deal with? There's so many.

[Peaches-n-Cream]

I really like this house:

http://www.realtor.com/FindHome/Home...me&poe=realtor

Squirrel Hill, PA 15232
MLS ID#: 618032

Consider buying a multiple family dwelling. You can use the rent to pay part of your mortgage, taxes, and other expenses. I know a couple who did that and made out quite nicely. Also, buy in the best neighborhood you can afford even if the home is small and needs work. It's all about location. Good luck.

[kddani]

Originally Posted by Peaches-n-Cream

I really like this house:

http://www.realtor.com/FindHome/Home...me&poe=realtor

Squirrel Hill, PA 15232
MLS ID#: 618032

Consider buying a multiple family dwelling. You can use the rent to pay part of your mortgage, taxes, and other expenses. I know a couple who did that and made out quite nicely. Also, buy in the best neighborhood you can afford even if the home is small and needs work. It's all about location. Good luck.

Lol, I know that house. It's pretty big. Tudor's aren't my thing. This is much more my thing:

http://www.realtor.com/FindHome/Home...9&lnksrc=00002

It's about a mile up the road from my apartment. Unfortunately, it's not quite a "starter home". Lol

[valkyrie]

Originally Posted by Peaches-n-Cream

Also, buy in the best neighborhood you can afford even if the home is small and needs work. It's all about location. Good luck.

I think the most money can be made if you buy in a neighborhood that isn't "good" yet but is improving or likely to improve in the near future. Of course, that varies by city and you have to be right when you gamble on a neighborhood.

[AlphaFrog]

Originally Posted by Peaches-n-Cream

Consider buying a multiple family dwelling. You can use the rent to pay part of your mortgage, taxes, and other expenses. I know a couple who did that and made out quite nicely.

Check your market first, some places (such as the suburbs of Charlotte) it can be near-impossible to get rid of a multi-unit when it comes time to sell. Also, if you do decide to do something like this, read up on becoming a landlord, leases, your responsibilities, etc...

[AGDLynn]

www.zillow.com

Just saw that my house went up $40K since the last assessment about 7 years ago.