The ABCs of Getting a Mortgage Loan for First-Timers

Posted on: 30 June 2019

When it comes to looking for your dream home, as a young family, you may be looking for a cottage and white picket fence in the suburbs surrounded away from the hustles and bustles of the city life, or you may be looking for a large-sized home in the middle of the city so that you don't have to drive far to get to work, school, and the grocery store. Whatever the case may be, if you are going to be house hunting, there are some things that each young family—regardless of their preferences—should take into consideration. Here are a few of them:

Great Schools

Whether you currently have young children or plan to start a family in the foreseeable future, one thing that you need to look for is a home in an area with fantastic schools. So, as you go on your hunt for the perfect home, make sure to talk to your realtor about the school districts in the area. You will also want to get information on state and national rankings for testing and a list of extracurricular activities that are offered.

Local Families

Prior to making an offer on a house, you should take in your surroundings. Are there indications of other children who live in the area? You don't want to move to an area where there are no other kids, as your kids won't have the opportunity to make new friends and lifelong memories—and you definitely want that for them.

Limited Traffic

Since you will have a family, you don't want to buy a home in a high-traffic area. You may want to consider purchasing a home on a cul-de-sac. This will provide you with the peace of mind that there will be minimal traffic at all times of the day, even during rush hour.

Increased Safety

While it is true that no one prefers to live in an area of high crime, safety is higher on your list when you have young child or have hopes of starting a family soon. Consider visiting potential properties at various times of the day to see how the atmosphere is (this will also help you with determining traffic levels and children in the area). You can even take the time to talk to neighbors to find out if there is a neighborhood watch program in effect and what their opinion of the neighborhood is in terms of safety. Finally, you can look up crime rates online or talk to the local police.

It can be truly exciting to buy a home for your family, but things can become overwhelming. Let a local real estate office help you.