It cant hurt to Browse and see what is out there for the money. Click on my Website and Browse all you like @ http://www.KimZanellato.com It is always recomended that you should speek to a mortgage Rep. to see what kind of a price range you would be comfortable with before you fall in love with something. I live in Halifax, MA and serve much of the south shore. If you have already found a Realtor to work with tell a Friend who is looking to Buy or Sell in this area to give me a call 781-588-0258 Hope all is Well Kim Z.

Hi:

I do alot of work with first time homebuyers and am very familiar with Plymouth as well as Bristol Counties.

My suggestion is to conncect with a Realtor, it is always better to work with one person that you feel comfortable with. Your agent will gather information on what you are looking for - make a list of the things you absolutely have to have and those that you would like, your purchase will probably be somewhere in the middle.

Your agent can then set you up with an automatic email that will advise you of new listings as they meet your criteria. By getting the emails you will become familiar with different properties, amenities, areas and prices. This will help you to pick out which properties you would like to look at.

I'm not sure where you are in the process of getting preapproved but many people start with the email updates a year or more before they buy.

If possible, is is best to buy by December 1st to qualify for the tax rebate offered in the tax stimulus package, between that and the low mortgage interest rates will make it possible to get a better deal.

I would love to work with you, give me a call at 774-766-8439 or email me at bbrant05@verizon.net and we can discuss your criteria and plan.

Thanks
Barbara Brant

Pinkgr129, my advice would be to begin your search keeping in mind that you need to be realistic about your price range and understand that an offer to purchase should be accompanied by a pre qualification letter. By looking now, you will have a better feel for home values when your pre qualification comes through. The internet is a great place to start your search, but nothing beats seeing property first hand.

Good luck!

Dick

Absolutely - the very first step in the buying process is to go completely through the preapproval process. Due to the complexity of the mortgage industry today, it's more important than ever that you know exactly where you stand financially before venturing out to look at a home. A good mortgage officer will go through all the costs involved with the mortgage as well. You may find out you qualify for the monthly payment but don't have enough saved for the down payment. It could be months before you're able to actually buy a home. By that time, the homes on the market will have sold and new inventory will be available. If you go house hunting and get your heart set on a particular home, it's a good possibility it won't be available when you're ready to buy. The buying process is very complex - I'd be happy to help demystify the process by sitting down with you sometime. Feel free to call or email me so we can talk more.

Thanks,
Jen

Get approved first. Make sure you are comfortable with the payment and down payment requirements. You cant really write a good offer without doing this, so what good does shopping do?