Tips for First Time Home Buyers

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sportchampps

Senior Member

7,361 posts
Jun 10, 2013 1:03 AM
Looking to buy our first house soon. Any Tips? What questions should I be asking. Right now were leaning towards building new with Westport Homes.
Jun 10, 2013 1:03am
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hang_loose

Senior Member

802 posts
Jun 10, 2013 1:19 AM
Talk with the people that Westport Homes has built their houses...If they will give you a client list.
Jun 10, 2013 1:19am
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Belly35

Elderly Intellectual

9,716 posts
Jun 10, 2013 6:29 AM
Location , loacation, location... style
Jun 10, 2013 6:29am
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MontyBrunswick

Jun 10, 2013 7:55 AM
Where are you looking to build?
Jun 10, 2013 7:55am
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slcoach

Senior Member

421 posts
Jun 10, 2013 8:37 AM
Know what your property tax and home owner's insurance are going to be! I have a lot of people tell me "Our payment is only $850 per month, that is less than we pay in rent". Come to find out, their property taxes are $3,000 a year and insurance is $1,800 and now they are looking at an extra $400 a month that they forgot to factor in.
Jun 10, 2013 8:37am
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said_aouita

Banned

8,532 posts
Jun 10, 2013 9:01 AM
Don't buy anywhere near water that may be considered a flood zone. FEMA likes to ram it up your ass when it comes to new flood zones and home owners disputing them.
Jun 10, 2013 9:01am
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justincredible

Nick Mangold

32,056 posts
Jun 10, 2013 9:01 AM
If you buy, before you move all your crap in, clean the shit out of the house while it's empty. Don't wait until you've moved all your stuff in.
Jun 10, 2013 9:01am
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MontyBrunswick

Jun 10, 2013 9:28 AM
ccrunner609;1455169 wrote:If you are looking at buying, look at alot of houses.
He's building. Pay attention.
Jun 10, 2013 9:28am
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Ironman92

Administrator

49,363 posts
Jun 10, 2013 9:56 AM
Escrow
Jun 10, 2013 9:56am
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justincredible

Nick Mangold

32,056 posts
Jun 10, 2013 10:06 AM
dlazz;1455176 wrote:He's building. Pay attention.
He says "leaning towards." That doesn't mean he's definitely building.
Jun 10, 2013 10:06am
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MontyBrunswick

Jun 10, 2013 10:15 AM
justincredible;1455213 wrote:He says "leaning towards." That doesn't mean he's definitely building.
Yes it does.
Jun 10, 2013 10:15am
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like_that

1st Team All-PWN

26,625 posts
Jun 10, 2013 10:29 AM
dlazz;1455220 wrote:Yes it does.
And that is why justin said "if you buy."
Jun 10, 2013 10:29am
S

sportchampps

Senior Member

7,361 posts
Jun 10, 2013 10:32 AM
Right now thinking of building in Blacklick, Oh. My brother sells homeowners insurance and already told me I could get it for around $450 a year on a brand new house. Taxes are not to bad in the area.
Jun 10, 2013 10:32am
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WebFire

Go Bucks!

14,779 posts
Jun 10, 2013 10:34 AM
dlazz;1455176 wrote:He's building. Pay attention.
"Looking to buy our first house soon. Any Tips?"

You suck at this.
Jun 10, 2013 10:34am
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MontyBrunswick

Jun 10, 2013 10:46 AM
sportchampps;1455226 wrote:Right now thinking of building in Blacklick, Oh. My brother sells homeowners insurance and already told me I could get it for around $450 a year on a brand new house. Taxes are not to bad in the area.
Have you looked at any of the other home builders? M/I Homes and Dominion come to mind.
Jun 10, 2013 10:46am
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LJ

Senior Member

16,351 posts
Jun 10, 2013 11:41 AM
sportchampps;1455226 wrote:Right now thinking of building in Blacklick, Oh. My brother sells homeowners insurance and already told me I could get it for around $450 a year on a brand new house. Taxes are not to bad in the area.
I would definitely look at Dominion and M/I in that area. Typically have nicer neighborhoods. There is a really nice Dominion neighborhood a little further out between Pataskala and Blacklick named Cumberland Crossing

http://www.dominionhomes.com/find-my-home/community-detail.asp?comID=11
Jun 10, 2013 11:41am
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said_aouita

Banned

8,532 posts
Jun 10, 2013 1:14 PM
sportchampps;1455226 wrote:Right now thinking of building in Blacklick, Oh.
Blacklick it teetering on becoming not that nice of an area. It's too close to the airport....imo.
Jun 10, 2013 1:14pm
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LJ

Senior Member

16,351 posts
Jun 10, 2013 1:18 PM
said_aouita;1455309 wrote:Blacklick it teetering on becoming not that nice of an area. It's too close to the airport....imo.
Depends. To the East and the North it's pretty solid. Closer to Broad St and RNA it's not that great. Typically if you stay in Gahanna schools it's a nice area of Blacklick, if you are in Licking Heights its not so good. That's an easy way to determine how good your area is.
Jun 10, 2013 1:18pm
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said_aouita

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8,532 posts
Jun 10, 2013 11:56 PM
LJ;1455315 wrote:Depends. To the East and the North it's pretty solid. Closer to Broad St and RNA it's not that great. Typically if you stay in Gahanna schools it's a nice area of Blacklick, if you are in Licking Heights its not so good. That's an easy way to determine how good your area is.
Gotcha. My parents condo was right off of Broad, down near Meijer/Home Depot, etc....strip mall hell.
Glad they finally sold it.
Jun 10, 2013 11:56pm
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redrocket

Senior Member

126 posts
Jun 11, 2013 10:36 AM
Good advise on making sure that you are not in any type of flood zone. Also if the property has not been surveyed, get one so you know what you are buying. Take the word of a surveyor and not a salesman.
Jun 11, 2013 10:36am
OSH's avatar

OSH

Kosh B'Gosh

4,145 posts
Jun 11, 2013 11:21 AM
Just bought my first house. I am definitely not saying I'm an expert at it, but I almost got burnt a couple times on it.

A couple things I'd check on have already been mentioned: taxes and zoning (flood zone mainly).

I would also make sure you check on previous buying/sale prices. Maybe even check on the county value -- just as a reference. I don't know who you plan on buying from, whether a realtor or owner, but it's best to be somewhat knowledgeable when trying to negotiate. So have some sort of reference points to go on.

Interest loan rates are going up for homes...so if you need one, better get going!
Jun 11, 2013 11:21am
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Oldman82

Member

68 posts
Jun 11, 2013 11:58 AM
Don't build or buy more house than you need.
Jun 11, 2013 11:58am
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RedRider1

Senior Member

3,850 posts
Jun 11, 2013 10:08 PM
sportchampps;1455226 wrote:Right now thinking of building in Blacklick, Oh. My brother sells homeowners insurance and already told me I could get it for around $450 a year on a brand new house. Taxes are not to bad in the area.

Wow. I'd take a good look at your coverages. Insurance in OH has gone up & up over the last 5 years. $6-700 annually for an above average risk with good credit would be what is consider a good deal.

Depends on replacement cost of your home but $450 seems low. Don't bare bones it.
Jun 11, 2013 10:08pm
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gerb131

Senior Member

9,932 posts
Jun 11, 2013 11:13 PM
dlazz;1455229 wrote:Have you looked at any of the other home builders? M/I Homes and Dominion come to mind.
I live in a dominion aka domino. They suck built in 2000
Jun 11, 2013 11:13pm
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HitsRus

Senior Member

9,206 posts
Jun 11, 2013 11:50 PM
Don't build or buy more house than you need.
Good advice here. Look at your first house as a stepping stone to your second. If you can't put at least 10% down you are probably buying too big. Too many young people are upside down right from the start trying for too big a house....then someone gets laid off or a divorce happens, and you have a real disaster.
Jun 11, 2013 11:50pm