Wanting to hop off the fence and buy a home to take advantage of what this epic year has to offer!? Here are a few things you should be doing to prepare to buy in 2017.

2017 Is going to be a year for the record books. We will see enormous growth here in the Phoenix Metropolitan Area but markets near Military installations across the country are going to see huge amounts of growth. To make sure you get in on the ground floor here are some things you can do to prepare yourself.

1) The first thing to do is make sure you are making your payments on time. This may seem like common sense but it’s easy to forget to make a payment due January 1st with all the hustle and bustle of the holidays. Make sure all your payments are up to date and if you did make a mistake and miss a credit card bill, call them immediately and ask that they take the late recording off your record. Once a certain amount of time has passed it can be more difficult for them to change this reporting. Companies want to keep you happy and want to keep your business so they will be happy to take that reporting off for you.

2) The second thing to do is make sure you speak to a realtor. Even if you are 6, 8 or even 12 months out from buying, you want to see where you stand. Speaking to a realtor early on gives you the unique advantage of being able to see any hurdles you may face on your credit report, so that your realtor and lender have time to work together to help you get over those hurdles to make you an ideal mortgage candidate to secure you a lower interest rate. So, get in touch with a realtor, and remember, you don’t have to hire the first person you come to. Do your own research, ask for recommendations and make sure you feel comfortable with who you chose because you who hire will set the tone moving forward for your entire experience.

3) The third and final thing you need to do to prepare to buy a home in 2017 is going to seem a little unorthodox. I want you to forget everything you think you know about the home buying process. Once you hire your realtor, let them be your resource, that is what they are there for, they should be an open book to you and guide you through the process. Don’t do yourself the disservice of taking in the information age all onto your back. Let’s be honest, a lot of the information out there is a bunch of bologna. Yes, I said bologna, but it’s true.

Thanks for tuning in! Remember, you can always check into the #AskJulieC Real Estate show, we are here to be your resource. Check out the older episodes and refresh yourself on things we have already went over. 2017 is the year! Crazy appreciation rates this year so let’s get you in and do what we can to work towards getting you into your first, second or maybe even your third real estate investment this year!

Thanks again for tuning in! If you have any questions, feel free to message me on Facebook or use the hashtag #AskJulieC and I can sift through your questions that way! See you next episode!