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Metropolitan Pittsburgh Real Estate
Pittsburgh real estate guide Guidelines for Buying Pittsburgh Real EstateWhether you are a seasoned veteran of real estate transactions or a first time buyer, my advice is the same: Know the Market, Know Yourself and Rely on Experts to give you the whole picture of what you are buying. Know the Pittsburgh Real Estate Market Another way of stating this is Research, Research, Research. Of course the Internet is a great way to give an overview of Pittsburgh homes or homes in any given area but may not be enough, especially if you are looking to buy a home some distance from where you currently live. If you are looking to buy locally you can drive the neighborhoods that you are focusing on to get an idea if there are any problems you need to be aware of. Does part of the development back up to a busy highway? If so and if you want to avoid looking at homes in that area, know what streets are involved so you can recognize listings that may be involved. If you are looking outside of your area, you may want to find a trustworthy real estate agent who can steer you away from problems that you want to avoid. The Internet is great but nothing really substitutes for your personal inspection of homes that are for sale in the area you want to buy. When you have visited plenty of homes online and in person when the right property comes along you will know it. Know Yourself It is perfectly normal for buyers to have a general idea of what they want in a home without a great deal of specificity. Research, both online and in person will help you define your Pittsburgh real estate needs but you can and should know your financial needs before you even start looking. I recommend that buyers go through the process of prequalifying with a lender or at least with a real estate agent in order to narrow the search among homes that are a possibility. Many agents refuse to show homes to prospective buyers who have not been pre-qualified. Rely on Experts Let’s say everything is a GO! You have found the perfect Pittsburgh home. You know you can afford it and it is actually priced below what you expected to pay. What a bargain! At this point it is fine to put in an offer on the property but only with a well-planned contingency. Of course, it the home is going to be financed, the lender will want a Home Inspection before agreeing to lend money on the property. However, you need to protect yourself by making an offer SUBJECT TO a clean bill of health from the Home Inspector of your choice. This kind of a contingency gives you an out if the inspector finds a problem with the roof, or foundation or other structural problem that was not apparent to the seller or to your agent. This does not mean you will not buy the house but you will have a good reason to renegotiate the price with the seller. |
