How to Purchase Your First Home in Sedona

Posted By: Tammy Emineth In: Buyers
Date: Wed, Mar 27th 2019 6:42 pm

Purchasing a first home is a big step, especially in the gorgeous town of Sedona. Buying a home takes some time and the key to ensuring you find the Sedona home just right for you is to have some know-how and insight into the home buying process.  

 

Here are some key tips for purchasing a home in Sedona, Arizona. 
 

Know What You Want 

Take some time to sit down and make out a list of things you would like in your Sedona home. Make a list of needs, wants, and would love to have. For instance, a family of four would need at least a three bedroom house and want a 4 bedroom maybe for a home office, and maybe love to have a 5 bedroom home to create a guest room. This will help when you find an experienced Sedona realtor and begin your search.  Don’t forget things outside and around the home like neighborhood criteria and schools. Do you want to live within the boundaries of a certain school? Do you prefer a neighborhood close to everything or a property with a large lot further out?  
 

Know Your Budget 

Knowing how much house you can afford will help immensely in your home search. You don’t want to start searching online listings and falling in love with homes before you know what you qualify for or even how much you truly want to spend or can spend on a monthly mortgage payment.  Before searching for a lender it is a good idea to sit down and figure out your monthly living costs vs. your monthly income. This will help to give you an idea of how much you can afford to spend on a mortgage. Trustworthy lenders are great, but sometimes that pre-approval number can come in pretty high and if you shoot for that top budget number as a price point you may end up stretching your monthly budget a little too thin for comfort. So decide on what is a comfortable monthly payment for you and/or your family and work from there in talks with a lender.  

Related Post: 5 Question to Ask your Home Inspector Before He/She Gets Started
 

Find a Local Agent 

Home buying is going to take some time and a good amount of work so you want an agent that is an expert in the area that you also get along with. A good relationship with your agent is key to a smoother, more enjoyable, less stressful home buying experience. Call up a few agents that specialize in Sedona real estate and interview them to find someone you feel truly understands your wants and needs.  
 

Choose a Lender 

If you do not already have a lender, ask your newly hired agent who they would recommend. Every agent has a list of lenders that they know and trust from previous sales. They will be able to give you a few names to point you in the direction of a trustworthy lender who will take that monthly mortgage payment you came up with earlier and your current financial status to find the best loan for you.  

Related Post: 10 Simple Ways to Make Home Buying More Affordable
 

Now’s the Time to Start the Search 

Many people jump ahead to this step in their home buying endeavors out of excitement, but without the previous steps, it could lead to disappointment and heartbreak. We suggest to save you time ( and the possibility of falling in love with a home you can’t have) that you know exactly what you can afford and are willing to pay, the general area or neighborhoods you would like to live, and the type of home you want/need. Some of the reason that home buying can become stressful is that many buyers don’t narrow down their criteria before looking at online listings and visiting homes. It can save a lot of time and possible disappointment.  
 

Be Open and Honest with Your Agent  

During the search process make sure you are open and honest about the homes your agent is showing you. They will do their best to find you available homes that fit your list of needs and wants. You may find that during your search your needs and wants may adjust a little bit, don’t be afraid to communicate this to your agent. They want to serve you they best way possible. If you find something online send that to your agent and ask them if they can set up an appointment to go look at the property. Your agent is your best friend in this process they want to find you the perfect house and help negotiate the best purchase price.  

Don’t Forget About Inspection and Closing Costs 

These are two things that many first time buyers tend to forget about or not think about. After you have made an offer on a home you will definitely want the purchase to be contingent on inspection. The inspection will cost you money, but it is an expense well worth the cost. Once you do decide to finalize the purchase of your home after everything checks out there will be costs to close on the loan. Your agent will help you to determine who will pay these in your original offer.  

Read More: How to Buy New Construction
 
Are you looking to purchase a home in Sedona or a nearby community? Let us help you make the process as enjoyable as possible. We have a team of experienced local Sedona real estate agents dedicated to finding the perfect home for our clients.