First Steps towards home ownership

Congratulations on taking the first step towards home ownership! Buying real estate in Southeast Texas can be an overwhelming experience, but with the right real estate agent by your side the process gets much easier. Whether you are looking to purchase your first property, retirement home, or are somewhere in-between, 

Your agent should know the market. 

Ok, you did a search on Google or social media, found my www.cbsouthernhomes.com site, have been checking out all the helpful real estate information, but still are not completely sure where to begin with buying real estate. Completely understandable! Here are two things you need to accomplish BEFORE you go out and preview homes:

• Get pre-approved. You do this by contacting a local lender who will help you determine the home loan amount you qualify for. If you do not have a specific lender in mind, give us a call at (409) 866-2392 and we will be happy to provide you with a list of local lenders. Do NOT use online services like Lending Tree as their process can lower your credit score. When you get pre-approved, it tells your sellers that you are serious about purchasing a home and gives them a dollar ceiling to work down from. There is no sense in looking at homes you cannot afford.

• Choose one agent to show you homes and represent your best interest.  We can show any home in SETX to you, not just our company listings.  By law, we are unable to share certain real estate information with you unless you sign a Buyer’s Agency Agreement stating we represent you as a buyer. When you are ready for advice and our opinion, we want to share ALL the information we know. Call if you have questions or concerns about buyer’s agency.

Honestly, buying real estate in Southeast Texas can be challenging with low listing inventory, so getting listings from your agent directly from the MLS and seeing it when it hits the market, being prepared to write your offer immediately and having your pre-approval in hand will help you reach your real estate goals much easier. Whether you are looking for acreage, condos, luxury homes, new construction houses, re-sale properties, single family homes, or even townhouses, there are a variety of shapes, styles, and locales to suit your desires. There is no better time to be buying real estate in Southeast Texas!