Home buying is an exciting time, but it can also be a lot to handle. You have to do all the research, come up with a budget, visit a variety of houses and more. And once you actually have a house, moving in can be a nightmare too.
Doing all of this on your own can be a very daunting task. Instead, why not use some online tools to help ease the process. These tools will save you a ton of time and energy, and are completely free and easy to use. This article will take a closer look at 4 in particular that you should be sure to use during your home buying journey.
Amortization Calculator
An amortization calculator is a helpful tool that will help you be able to decide just how much payments will be with a certain mortgage. All you have to include is the loan amount, the term, the interest rate and the start date. Using this information will quickly and accurately estimate your total monthly payment in seconds.
They are normally very simple to use and some will also outline the payment schedule so you know how much you are putting towards the principal each month, and how much is going to interest. There also exist calculators out there that can help you determine how much you can afford.
Research Tools
Unless you feel like aimlessly walking down the street looking for “for sale” signs, you should be taking advantage of the various research tools online. There are a variety of different options and websites out there that can help you see what homes are for sale, how much they cost, photos of them and more.
Many of these sites will have hundreds or thousands of home listed on their webpage and they are great to quickly browse different homes in different areas, right from your home. These sites will also let you contact the agent directly, if you have any questions or concerns about the home.
Census Information
When buying a home, your research shouldn’t only extend to the home you will buy, but also to the city and neighborhood that you are living in. While taking a walk or drive through the place you want to live is good, you should also look at the data.
Thankfully, there are services like QuickFacts that can help. They use official data and information from the U.S Census Bureau. This includes stats like population, race, age, education, economy, employment and more. This information will tell you a lot about any city you can think of, which can be invaluable when you are moving somewhere new.
Real Estate Agent Searches
While you can do the entire home-buying process by yourself, it is generally easier done when you enlist the help of a real estate agent. They can do the negotiating for you, find homes that match your needs and ensure everything is taken care of, paperwork wise.
However, with well over 2 million real estate agents in the USA alone, it can be difficult to know who to work with. With likely dozens (or even hundreds) of agents in your local area, using an online real estate agent directory or search will help you narrow your search. Many of these will feature contact information and the listings they currently have available, and potentially other information to help you make an informed choice.
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