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Located in the Irish Hills, Brooklyn, Michigan

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Common Errors to Avoid When Buying
The selling and buying of a house can be a stressful and confusing process.  Not only is it very expensive to 'learn from your mistakes' but very few people move often enough to gain the needed experience.

Although there is no substitute for doing your homework (start by asking your family and friends who have recently moved for their experiences) the following list of common pitfalls may be helpful.
 
bullet Looking for a home without getting pre-approved by a lender.  When you are pre-approved, you are effectively a cash buyer.  The seller knows that financing is less likely to slow down the process.  This makes it much easier to negotiate with the seller.  Do not mistake pre-approval with pre-qualification; pre-qualification is only the first step in gaining pre-approval.  Ask your financial consultant or Great Beginnings Realty for details.
 
bullet Failing to check out the neighborhood thoroughly before buying. How do traffic patterns change depending on the day of the week, or even the time of day?  Are there any future developments in the works?  Ask around -- check it out first.  While a Real Estate agent is not allowed to indicate if a neighborhood is "good" nor not (for among the reasons -- what is "good", or desirable,  to one person may be "bad" or unwanted to another), click here to get some ideas on how to "know the neighborhood".
bullet Making an offer based on the asking price, not the actual market value. Do your homework.  What have similar properties sold for in the immediate area?  How long were they on the market?  How does this one compare?  Is it over-priced, under-priced, or fair value?  Ask Approved Realty for an up-to-date market summary if they are representing you as a buyers agent.
 
bullet Letting "first impressions" affect your decision too much.  There are entire books written on how the first impression of a home is the single most decisive factor affecting many purchasers' decision to by.  Don't let bad décor or messy housekeeping scare you away from a structurally solid home that meets all your needs.  Remember, you are buying the house, not the furnishings.
 
bullet Not shopping for home insurance until your are ready to move.  If you wait until the last minute, you will be rushed in finding insurance.  Allow time to shop around and get the best deal.
 
bullet Signing documents without reading them.  Do not wait until the last minute before reading the documents; there probably will not be time.  Try to get copies of all documents early on in your home search so that you can peruse them at you leisure.
 
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 Information is believed to be accurate but is not guaranteed.