The Internet is a great place to find out how to buy a home in the convenience and privacy of your own living room. Some of the following home buying services are free and others will require a nominal fee.  If you are serious about buying a home and want to do everything possible to make it a successful venture, the following real estate dealing tips are worth the time and effort.

Research Neighborhoods

Community profiles can provide valuable information necessary to decide on potential neighborhoods.  A crime statistics tutorial can be found at Organized Crime and is designed to allow you to easily locate and assess the accuracy of crime statistics.

Housing Affordability Calculator

Here's a housing affordability calculator to help you figure out whether you can afford a given-priced home. This calculator displays the minimum cash and income required, and the maximum debt service allowed, to purchase a home at your specified price. For other home purchase calculations go to Decision Aide Analytics home page. For further information on how lenders qualify you for a loan, read Qualifying For A Mortgage.

Get Pre-Approved

What is the difference between pre-qualified and pre-approved?

A pre-qualification letter is simply a cursory review of your financial situation while a pre-approval letter shows that the lender has made a thorough analysis of your income, assets and credit and has pre-qualified you for a specified loan amount.

Why should I get pre-approved?

In order to get the best possible start in your home-buying process, it's best to obtain a loan pre-approval before you actually start looking for a home to purchase. A pre-approval from your lender shows that you have a solid credit history and that you are qualified for a mortgage loan of a specified size. In a competitive market, a pre-approval letter can provide greater negotiating clout with the seller, as well as provide assurance that your offer will have priority above those who are not pre-approved.

Everyone is entitled to an annual free credit report. Get yours early to review and clean up any possible errors.

Online mortgage brokers like Columbia Mortgage   provide customers a wide variety of lenders and loan programs to insure the best match for their needs.  In many cases, the fees charged are less and there may be no up-front fees required.  The loan commitment, usually available in 24 hours, can help you negotiate a better price for the home because the seller will feel more secure about the sale actually closing. 

Mortgage Application Form

Want to see the form you'll be filling out for your mortgage lender, or get a head start by filling one out yourself? You can use this application form to apply with any lender.

If you already have Adobe Acrobat installed:

1. Return to this page and Download the Uniform Residential Loan Application.
2. Start the Adobe Acrobat reader and open the document "landform.pdf" from where you saved the download. The Adobe Acrobat reader may open automatically when you download this document.
3. Select File and Print, check Shrink to Fit.  It is best if you use legal sized paper.

Check Your Credit

There are three major credit-reporting agencies and you are entitled to one free credit check a year.  Equifax, Experian or Trans Union each charge modest fees or Qspace has an online reporting service offering a little more for a combination of Equifax, Experian, and Trans Union all together. 

Search For A Home

Want to see a lot more properties for sale in Clark County Washington? Send us an e-mail requesting to be included on our newsletter mailing list that includes links to hundreds of Prudential and local MLS properties on the market. 

Find An Agent

If you are looking for an experienced real estate professional ANYWHERE in the country we can help. Just fill out the form at our home search page  and we will investigate and contact one for you. If you are moving to SW Washington naturally we hope you will consider using us Deals to help you.

Making An Offer

A good experienced buyers agent can do many things to help in your offer to purchase a home be more accommodating to your family. Be sure you understand how you can benefit from a buyers agents services. You can start with a brief review on agency and the appropriate agency disclosure regulations for the state you will be moving to.

Inspect The Property

An objective, unbiased report on the condition of the structural, mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems will help you avoid unnecessary surprises. Our own Home Services department can assist you with a quality local inspector or, The American Society of Home Inspectors can provide you with a list of nationwide inspectors.

HOME BUYER'S GUIDE:
Where you will find LOTS of home buying related information. Learn More...

Are Home Warranties Important?

A group, known as HADD, Homeowners Against Deficient Dwellings, has reference material, consumer warnings, horror stories, links to class-action suits and pages and pages about specific defects that commonly occur in newly built homes.

Settlement

Once your agent has negotiated a successful contract, you will need to complete the loan process by having the appraisal on the property made.  Prior to the closing, you will need to provide property insurance. If you don't already have an insurance agent, you may wish to check out . 

Moving

Planning the actual moving requires time to arrange for a mover, sorting what is going to the new home and what is going to be sold, discarded, or donated.  Proper packing is important to prevent damage to your valuables.  For specialized services, discounts, suggestions and moving help, let us register you with Home Services. 

Home Improvements

The retailer Home Depot is a great source for home improvement advice and ideas. To get started, choose from hundreds of great How-to projects, go to Home Depots home improvement site. And don't forget our Prudential Northwest Properties Home Services, you will be impressed with our vendors. 

A Whole Planning Toolbox

Many of your home buying and selling needs can be found at Kiplinger.com but be careful not to get overwhelmed. Remember we are always here to help with questions you may have. 

Change Of Address

 You can use the U.S. Postal Service page.

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