The deadline for first-time home buyers has been extended until April 30, 2010! If you are a first time home buyer (you haven't owned a home in the past three years), now is a great time to take advantage of a tax credit of up to $8,000. This time, there is also a tax credit of up to $6,500 for qualified repeat home buyers. Read all about this tax credit here. (http://www.federalhousingtaxcredit.com) First step is to get pre-approved for a home purchase loan (mortgage). Please visit the financing page for information about this process. Once you get preapproved for a loan and know the budget, you are ready to start looking for your dream home. To help us help you narrow down your choices, you might want to consider things like the following: 1. Your life style; what you like to do, what your daily routine is like. For instance, do you like to entertain at home? Do you use public transportation systems? Is 'walkability' an important factor? 2. Prioritize your needs. Is being in a good school district a strong factor? Do you need to be close to medical facilities? 3. City, suburb or rural? Do you have a certain area in mind? Portland has a variety of neighborhoods with different flavors. If you are new to town and want to live in the city, we recommend checking out the different parts with your own eyes. After interviewing you and knowing your preferences, we can give you some recommendations. 4. What is the minimum requirement (squarefootage, number of bedrooms, bathrooms, and garage size)? Do you want a big lot or small lot? 5. Do you want a brand new or newer home or older home with character? Contemporary or traditional? Are you handy or all thumbs? |