Published: February 10, 2010

A solid game plan can help you narrow your homebuying search to find the best home for you.

1. Know thyself

Understand the type of home that suits your personality. Do you prefer a new or existing home?
A ranch or a multistory home? If you’re leaning toward a fixer-upper, are you truly handy, or
will you need to budget for contractors?

2. Research before you look

List the features you most want in a home and identify which are necessities and which are
extras. Identify three to four neighborhoods you’d like to live in based on commute time,
schools, recreation, crime, and price. Then hop onto REALTOR.com to get a feel for the homes
available in your price range in your favorite neighborhoods. Use the results to prioritize your
wants and needs so you can add in and weed out properties from the inventory you’d like to
view.

3. Get your finances in order

Generally, lenders say you can afford a home priced two to three times your gross income.
Create a budget so you know how much you’re comfortable spending each month on housing.
Don’t wait until you’ve found a home and made an offer to investigate financing.

Gather your financial records and meet with a lender to get a prequalification letter spelling out
how much you’re eligible to borrow. The lender won’t necessarily consider the extra fees you’ll
pay when you purchase or your plans to begin a family or purchase a new car, so shop in a price
range you’re comfortable with. Also, presenting an offer contingent on financing will make your
bid less attractive to sellers.

4. Set a moving timeline

Do you have blemishes on your credit that will take time to clear up? If you already own, have
you sold your current home? If not, you’ll need to factor in the time needed to sell. If you rent,
when is your lease up? Do you expect interest rates to jump anytime soon? All these factors will
affect your buying, closing, and moving timelines.

5. Think long term

Your future plans may dictate the type of home you’ll buy. Are you looking for a starter house
with plans to move up in a few years, or do you hope to stay in the home for five to 10 years?
With a starter, you may need to adjust your expectations. If you plan to nest, be sure your
priority list helps you identify a home you’ll still love years from now.

6. Work with a REALTOR®

Ask people you trust for referrals to a real estate professional they trust. Interview agents to
determine which have expertise in the neighborhoods and type of homes you’re interested in.
Because homebuying triggers many emotions, consider whether an agent’s style meshes with
your personality.

Also ask if the agent specializes in buyer representation. Unlike listing agents, whose first
duty is to the seller, buyers’ reps work only for you even though they’re typically paid by the
seller. Finally, check whether agents are REALTORS®, which means they’re members of the
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®. NAR has been a champion of homeownership
rights for more than a century.

7. Be realistic

It’s OK to be picky about the home and neighborhood you want, but don’t be close-minded,
unrealistic, or blinded by minor imperfections. If you insist on living in a cul-de-sac, you may
miss out on great homes on streets that are just as quiet and secluded.

On the flip side, don’t be so swayed by a “wow” feature that you forget about other issues—like
noise levels—that can have a big impact on your quality of life. Use your priority list to evaluate
each property, remembering there’s no such thing as the perfect home.

8. Limit the opinions you solicit

It’s natural to seek reassurance when making a big financial decision. But you know that saying
about too many cooks in the kitchen. If you need a second opinion, select one or two people.
But remain true to your list of wants and needs so the final decision is based on criteria you’ve
identified as important.

“And no matter where a seller prices their property, they’re looking to negotiate,” says Patricia Szot, president of the MetroTex Association of REALTORS®.

But that’s not all they want. Bankrate.com recently asked real estate professionals to chime in on the top desires of their buyers when home shopping. Here are four things that made the list of top home buyer preferences:

1. Homes that are in good condition. “There’s not a lot of flexibility in that,” says Ron Phipps, president of the National Association of REALTORS®. Many buyers now take the attitude: “I’d rather spend the money getting into the house” and not have to spend more money later, Phipps says. One of the major reasons is that “buyers have limited amounts of cash,” he adds. “Even if they want to do a fixer-upper, they don’t have the money to do it.”

2. A bargain with incentives. Buyers are looking for a good deal, even when considering bank-owned properties, says Joan Pratt, real estate broker with RE/MAX Professionals in Castle Pines, Colo. “They want the short sales and the foreclosures and they want them to look like they’re owner-occupied,” she says. “They don’t want to paint. They don’t want to put carpet in. They don’t want to clean.”

And they aren’t only asking for a low price but they also want incentives to buy too. As such, sellers are offering everything from gift cards for new furniture to paint to financial assistance at closing.

3. Outdoor living areas. Homes with screen porches, outdoor kitchens, two-way fireplaces are becoming increasingly competitive in the marketplace as more buyers say they want more outdoor living space.

4. Open kitchens. “The wall between the kitchen and the family room is evaporating,” Phipps says. “The kitchen is becoming part of the gathering space.” (See Buyers Want Cozy, Connected Kitchens)

Source: “9 Items Homebuyers Desire in 2011,” Bankrate.com (March 2011)

Cleanliness is essential. Think of the last time you really cleaned a messy room. The satisfaction felt afterward isn’t because you have a new room or even that room has really changed. The room is the same. Same carpet, Same walls, Same size, but your feeling toward the value of the room changed dramatically. I have a relative that, while he was in college, would buy old dirty cars, clean them up, and then flip them for profit. He would rarely do any mechanical work to the cars, but the perceived value would increase with cleanliness. The same is true for your home. Having the carpets cleaned, no clutter, and having the entire home as clean as possible is worthwhile investment of time and money.

Clutter is distracting. It catches the attention of those viewing the home and taints the overall emotional experience. Moving almost always requires sifting through the stuff that’s been collecting over the years. Getting rid of the stuff you no longer need/want before showing your home rather than right before moving can go a long ways to improve the showing experience.

First impressions are everything. The buyer’s experience begins with curb appeal. How they feel when they first see the exterior of the home will set the tone for how they feel about the rest of what they see. Paint, a new door, landscaping, and even simple things like flower pots can go a long ways.

If you can afford to spend a little more money then it may be worth it. It is difficult, however, to know which projects are worthwhile and which ones are poor investments. Realtor Mag suggested five remodeling changes that bring the best return on money spent:

Entry Door Replacement

◦ Cost Recovered: 102.1%

Garage Door Replacement

◦ Cost Recovered: 83.9%

Siding Replacement

◦ Cost Recovered: 80.0%

Minor Kitchen Remodel

◦ Cost Recovered: 72.8%

Deck Addition (Wood)

◦ Cost Recovered: 72.8%

It comes down to putting yourself into the mindset of a buyer. Look at your home and ask yourself what simple changes can be made to make your home more appealing and consequently more likely to sell.

From Realtor.org

Logan came in as the second safest metro area in the CQ Press City Crime Rankings for 2010. This yearly evaluation ranks cities based on number of crimes reported per 100,000 citizens. CQ Press bases this ranking on six categories of reported crime: murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, and motor vehicle theft.

While this is only an evaluation of the past year Logan has ranked well in years past as well. Topping the list in both 2007 & 2008, Logan ranked fifth in 2009. While this ranking is limited on what factors can be taken into consideration, its safe to say that Logan has not only been safe recently, but consistently safe over the past few years.

Logan is not the only city in Utah to receive high marks in the report. Provo-Orem and St. George also ranked in the top ten meaning that Utah communities made up 30% of the top ten safest metro areas in the nation.

While the CQ Press says that there are many factors that contribute to creating a safe community, dedicated law enforcement and citizens are central to keeping crime to minimum

Before you make a final decision, take some time and walk the property. Look closely at the condition of the common areas such as the pool area—if there is a pool—and the landscape. It is also a good idea to talk with some of the residents you see while you are out. Ask questions about the property. Is it maintained routinely and has the property seen a decline since they have lived there? Then ask the residents questions about the board members. Do they keep up the property; are they nice, and do they answer questions and inquiries in a timely manner? Knowing this ahead of time can save you some from having some unwanted