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A HOME IS MORE THAN A HOUSE! (Part 2)

A home is more than a home. It’s a place in a community, determining everything from the quality of your kids’ education to length of your daily commute. Not only does a neighborhood shape your lifestyle, it impacts your finances, too.

Get the scoop… It is so important to have as much information on the neighborhood as well as your future home. The information can be obtained from local police, fireman, librarian, school principals to name a few. Check the neighborhood out in the day and night. If a neighbor is available ask them about the neighborhood.

Luckily the internet now provides a virtual view of neighborhood life, allowing you to uncover tidbits you might not have found out until you move in your area.

Here are some of the sites for getting the local scoops:

http://www.kitsapgov.com

http://www.eppraisal.com

www.visitkitsap.com

www.SchoolMatters.com

www.GreatSchools.net

www.WalkScore.com

http://outside.in

Most states provide rankings for schools based upon test scores and other factors, and again these fuel the neighborhood reputation. Parents should always look beyond ratings, however and visit schools to see whether the overall environment is right for the family. Ask the administration staff for their school website. Here is Peninsula High School website for example: http://phs.psd401.net . There is so much that can be found before you put one foot on the school campus.

The goal is to provide news and commentary about what is going on in your prospective neighborhood and city. By providing prospective home buyers with a better view of what life would be like at a particular address they can put much more confidence in their final decision in purchasing their home of their dreams.

Over the last few weeks the mortgage interest rates are beginning to creep higher. But surveys show that consumer attitudes, confidence regarding housing is on the rise. Nearly 80% percent of adults believe buying a home is a good financial decision. Nearly two-thirds of renters think that owning a home is a priority in their future. Many people lack confidence in even going and shopping for home due to all the negative press on the credit crunch economy. I have my clients get pre-approved so that when we go out and look at pretty houses they can meet what is important to them. The payment objective: How much they pay every month. The equity objective: When they make that monthly payment how much they reduce their principal. The total cost: What will it take for them to buy a home out of their pocket? With all this information now in my client’s toolbox we are right around the corner for me to hand them the keys to their very own pretty house.

My job as your Realtor is too put this knowledge and more on your side.