Tips for Buyers

Buying a home is an exciting event. It can also be stressful. The Price Group Realtors can help make your transition into your new home seamless. Here are some tips for buying a home in St. Petersburg Florida.

Get your finances in order

Consider the costs of buying a home. Ideally, you want to have money saved for closing costs, down payments, inspections and moving and repair costs. Also consider costs after move in. Some of the missed costs of a home are insurance, property taxes and HOA dues. Let sellers know you’re serious and get pre-approved for your home loan. Not only will this save you time because you’ll be looking at houses you can afford, it will also give you an edge against a Buyer who may not have lending setup. Also, don’t move money around or open up any credit lines at least six months prior as this may affect your loan. Need help locating a good lender in our area? Call us today!

Want more information on down payment, loan and grant assistance? We got you.

Know the area

Learn as much as you can about the neighborhood. Knowledge is power. A buyer should know the ins and outs of the neighborhood, and most importantly, what the comparable sales are within the area. Without such knowledge, a buyer will never know if he is getting a good deal on a house. Researching the neighborhoods and surrounding areas can help you focus in on available houses and make the search less overwhelming. 

Some neighborhood questions you may want to consider:

• Are there schools nearby?
• Do the amenities in the neighborhood fit my lifestyle?
• What is the commute to work like?
• Are there public utilities such as recycling, garbage, water, etc?

We have already done the research on St Pete’s neighborhoods. Take a look!

Use your instincts, not your heart

Remember that there is no such thing as a flawless house. Buyers should not expect the seller to address every cosmetic issue in the home. The main thing to remember is to keep your expectations realistic. There may be some issues that you as a Buyer may need to compromise on in order to find you dream home. (For example, walls can always be painted.) The same can be said for the neighborhood you choose. Researching the neighborhoods and surrounding areas can help you focus in on available houses and make the search less overwhelming. 

Some neighborhood questions you may want to consider:

• How do the schools rank?
• How close are grocery stores and shops?
• Easy access to major roads?

(Psst – You can visit our Links & Resources page for local government, school, and neighborhood information.)

Stay on top of deadlines

This is something your Realtor should help you with, especially if you’re a first time home Buyer. Depending on the closing dates and type of property the schedule can vary. Some of the most important events that you want to keep track of are escrow deadlines, inspection period, loan commitment, title commitment, final walk-thru, and closing. Other things to consider are making sure your utilities are setup? the last thing you need is to move in on a Friday and have no power until Monday!

(Use our handy moving schedule so that you know what needs to be done when during the closing process.)

Final walkthrough

This is a huge deal! I would not advise anyone to skip on a final walkthrough, its advisable to complete this the day of closing, preferable to do right before heading to the closing office, this will be your last opportunity to look at the house before its yours! What if the home was damaged by the Sellers movers? Roof leak, appliances or other items removed from the home? It's advisable to complete a mini home inspection of the home, check all systems, do you have hot water? do the toilets flush, run all faucets (check for leaks) run the dishwasher and appliances, make sure the Sellers have removed all personal items and left all negotiated items on the contract including pool equipment. If you are not able to be there ask your agent to complete this for you, this is just one of the services we offer to our out of town clients.

Moving in

You made it! Home ownership is finally yours and you deserve to celebrate. But before you do, you have to move in. In the weeks before the move-in day, you should inventory your home and decide what to keep and what can be donated in order to de-clutter and make your move easier (the fewer boxes to carry the better). If you’re done with the days of bribing friends with pizza and beer to help, professional movers are a great option. It may also be a good idea to have your furniture cleaned before you have it moved into the new home. Lastly, check out local restaurants and food delivery service such as Uber Eats. After a long day (or two) of moving, the last thing you’ll want to do is make dinner. Order in or go out and enjoy what your new neighborhood has to offer.