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kretara
Cynical Old Bastard
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: The Hot, Hazey, Humid South
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2007-03-15, 09:10

Since you say that you are in Florida, you will also need to take in to consideration homeowners insurance and flood insurance. My in-laws live in Port St. Lucie and their homeowners insurance for a 2BR, 1600 sq ft house is ungodly high. They are 5-7 miles from the ocean.
Something else that my in-laws are having an issue with is water. About 20% of the city has issues with not having enough water. Imagine not having water for a few days at a time. The water shortages are caused by over building of homes and no upgrading of infrastructure.

If you live near the coast you will also need to look for houses that have hurricane 'proof' improvements (such as high impact windows and doors).

Basically, do your research both in how much you can really afford to pay (as opposed to what the bank will lend you) and how well the house/neighborhood/city fits your needs.

If you buy a condo ask about the monthly fee. Also ask about any pending maintenance issues coming up (like replacing a roof etc.) because you will have to fork over your share of the money to fix these things. Nothing like moving into a new place and then having to fork over a few grand that you did not expect to spend.

Find a good realtor and use their services, but remember that the realtor is the sellers agent NOT yours. Take everything a realtor tells you with a grain of salt. You have no obligation to buy anything they show you or to use them exclusively.

Also, buy wisely. Don't buy the first house that comes along and don't buy on impulse. If you have to look at 30 houses to find the one that is 'right' for you, that is OK.

If you are serious about a home, ALWAYS get the home inspected...ALWAYS.
Always take at least 3 tours (different times of day spread over at least a week) of any home you are serious in. This will give you a chance to get over the initial 'I love it!!' phase and start looking for any issues with the house. Might also be a good idea to get someone who has owned a home for a while (your parents? friend? whatever?) to look at the house with you. They won't have any vested interest in the house, so they will/might be more likely to point out issues that you will miss in your excitement.
Be sure to check out traffic patterns around the house, esp. during rush hour. Wouldn't you hate to buy a house in an area that is almost impossible to get into or out of during rush hour.

Finally, good luck.
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