Central New York Home Listings

Generally, this is the most difficult part of the homebuying process and can be the lengthiest. For most people, much thought has been put into what their ideal home will have and have put together a list of what their wants and needs are. Once a mortgage pre-approval has been obtained, some people face the reality that they won't be able to get everything they want based on the what they have been pre-approved for. At this point, you and your buyer's agent should be able to go through your list of needs and wants and determine what you can realistically expect to get within your price range. Your agent will put together a list of homes and the search for your dream home will begin!

 

 

1. Make Up A List of Needs And Wants - Many people do this even before they get pre-approved for a mortgage, but I have a couple suggestions regarding this list. Make sure your needs are structural in nature. Examples of this would be the number of bedrooms, bathrooms, size of garage, style of home, cathedral ceilings , built in fireplace, etc. Most things that are not structural can be done to a house after you buy it. At that point, it is more about getting the right price for the house so you can make those changes. These may include updating the kitchen, changing the flooring, painting, installing central air (make sure the house as duct work), finishing a basement, etc. You don't want to miss out on a home that may be perfect in every other way because it doesn't have something that could be added or changed once you buy the home.

 

2. Get Set Up On An Automated Search - This is a great tool for buyers. This will allow you to receive homes automatically via email when a home that matches your criteria comes on the market or it has a change in price. What are the benefits of this? You don't have to worry about completing your own search and the possibility of missing THE home or finding it too late and learning it has already been sold. Third party home search sites can be unreliable and this can create a frustrating experience for you. Also, the search that is set up by your agent can be much more detailed than what third party sites allow. Once you have determined your criteria, your agent will set this up for you. If they don't or haven't suggested it, it's time to find a new agent. Make sure that the criteria that you are using for this serach is made up of your needs or "must-haves". This insures you won't miss out on a home that may work for you.

 

3. View At Least 10 Homes - This will really allow you to educate yourself about the market and houses in the price range your are considering. In addition, you will have a better comfort level with what your agent suggests as a price when it's time to make an offer. I would really suggest this except in the circumstance that you find THE HOME OF YOUR DREAMS. I wouldn't want you to lose out on a home because you haven't seen 10 homes.

 

4. Be Wary Of Disclosed Taxes On A Listing - Listed taxes are something that can change dramatically after you buy the home.  There can be a couple reasons for this and you should be aware of them.

 

A) New York has the STAR exemption which allows for an exemption on the first $30,000 of assessed value on your home towards school taxes. As long as you are an owner occupant, you will qualify for this. There are also additional exemptions that homeowners can get if they are a veteran or over the age of 65. The problem occurs when the listing agent doesn't specify if any of these exemptions are included in the listed taxes and your agent doesn't research it to let you know.  You should find out prior to closing, but you may be weeks into the process before you find out and this can cause quite a shock.

 

B) The assessed value of a property is well under the price that the home is selling for. This doesn't necessarily mean that house isn't worth the list price, but you can certainly expect an increase in your taxes if you buy the property. It may not happen for 2-3 years, but you want to be aware of it.