Whether you are buying your fifth home, or you are a first time home buyer, navigating an ever-changing market can be a chore.  Here are some home buyer tips and resources to make the process as painless as possible:

1. Pick a qualified lender you feel comfortable with - this is more important now than ever, the lending industry has been walking on eggshells ever since the fall of the sub-prime market.  Rates and underwriting rules change by the hour, & your credit score can make or break you.  Finding your lender and evaluating your financial situation should be your very first step before going to look at real estate.  I always recommend you visit with at least three and compare rates, visit my resources page (below) for a list of lenders I have had positive experiences with.

2.Title Companies - people often don't have a preference on their title company, but let me tell you- you'd be very wise to pay attention to who is insuring over your title, and how much they want to charge you.  These rates, coverages, & underwirting stipulations can vary greatly.  There is also a list of title companies on my real estate resource page.

3.Inspections - Sometimes buyers think that inspections are unnecessary, but to not pay a few hundred dollars to protect your thousands & thousands of dollars investment is not good business.  Always get an inspection.  Mold, radon, foundation, plumbing, electric, bugs, the possible issues are many & they are all expensive to fix, find out exactly what you are getting into before your inspection objection deadline and if you find any issues negotiate a deal so you can afford to fix them.  A list of Durango area inspectors can also be found on my resource list.

4.Lawyers & Accountants - I always recommend legal and tax council for my buyers and sellers.  To be honest, 99% of my transactions are closed without either of these valuable resources, but if at any time you think you need these services, employ them!  You can find contact info for some local, reputable lawyers and accountants on my resource page.

5.Buying land in Durango or Bayfield CO?  You can also find Builders, Architects, Interior designers, you name it - it's probably on my resource page! 

I also have a resource list specially tailored to the more mature crowd, check out my Retiree's Resource if your going to retire in Durango, Bayfield, or beyond.

Of course the ins and outs of the buying process are many, every deal is different, but that's why you have me, Gayle Webster!  Contact me anytime for a consultation, I can tell you where to start and how to get to the finish line. 

Right now is the greatest time to buy, with interest rates at a record low, there's a lot to choose from on the market & prices are great.  The goverment is offering tax credits, we have more and more local programs offering affordable housing options (such as the RHA, SW housing alliance, habitat for humanity), need I say more?

Ask me all about it: Gayle@GotHouseDurango.com mobile direct - 970.903.8815