guide to buying

Why Should I Buy?    How Much Can I Afford?    PreApprovals    Types Of Loans   
Shopping For A Home    Finding A Realtor    Negotiating    Closing The Deal

Here are some useful ways for looking for a home in a target neighborhood:

Home-listing services and Web sites. You'll need a street map or zip code to see if the listings are located in the neighborhood that you've decided on. Two sites that provide home listings include the Web sites of National Association of Realtors and Microsoft's HomeAdvisor.

Ask friends, coworkers and neighbors. They can often prove to know of a good deal.

Contact a real estate agent. Unless you specifically hire a broker to represent you, any broker you deal with will be representing a seller. This means they're interested in getting the highest price from you that they can.

Read newspaper listings. With a little practice, you'll learn to effectively scan newspaper listings.

Advertise. In the event you're unable to find listings that appeal to you, placing an advertisement in the local paper may result in someone calling you with a home that is not presently listed.

Look for "For Sale" signs or empty homes as you drive around a neighborhood. If you have an address, you can identify the legal owners at a records office and contact them directly.

Look for real estate foreclosures. An ultimately motivated seller is someone facing foreclosure. You can either negotiate with a foreclosure trustee or lender, if the lender takes possession. If possible, you can also submit a bid on a foreclosed home.

Use a buyer's broker. A buyer's broker will represent you, providing you with current listings and local market knowledge. Buyer's brokers can also help maintain your anonymity.