Buying your first home is an occasion which marks a very special passage in your life. You are about to go from being a renter to being a home owner which, in a sense, means that you’re going to be “all grown up”. But when you start going through the process of first time home buying, you might quickly find that the last thing you feel like is a grown-up. There are just so many things to consider that you can easily begin to feel overwhelmed. Take a deep breath and relax. You’re going to get through this and buy your first home.

Here are the basics of the first time home buyer guide to real estate which is all you need to know to get started with the process:

• Know yourself. The first step to buying a home is knowing what kind of home you want to buy. Believe it or not, many people go looking to buy their first home without really stopping to assess what’s important to them in a home. You should really take the time to figure out everything that you want in a home, including which characteristics are non-negotiable and which you can be flexible about. Ask yourself about everything from neighborhoods and number of bedrooms to age of the home and material of the construction. By narrowing this criteria down before you start looking into buying your first home, you’ll save yourself quite a bit of time and hassle.

• Find a realtor. Although it’s possible to buy a home without the assistance of a professional, it’s a lot easier if you work with someone who knows all about the process. Do your research into local real estate agents and find one who has the knowledge and experience to assist you in buying your first home. When interviewing realtors, ask them specifically about their experience in working with first time home buyers.

• Learn the terminology. Your realtor will be able to explain everything to you as the process goes on, but things will go a lot more smoothly if you know right away what he or she is talking about. You don’t need to know what every single thing in a contract means, but you should learn the basic terminology of the real estate process. Learn about “the closing” and “escrow” and “mortgage”. A basic book about real estate or a website defining common real estate terms can do wonders for making you an informed buyer.

• Know the market. At times, it’s a buyer’s market and at times, it’s a seller’s market. Of course, you want to buy when the market is right for you, so start keeping an eye on the market in the months leading up to buying your first home. Don’t buy until the time is right.

• Don’t be afraid to negotiate. Some people find the process of bargaining to be a natural thing but many others hesitate to negotiate. Buying your first home is an exercise in the art of negotiation. Let your real estate agent help you with this part of the process but don’t be afraid of doing it. You should get the home at the right price.

• Make sure that you’re in your budget and get a good home loan. When you were first narrowing down what you wanted in your home, you probably considered cost. Before making the final purchase, make sure that the home is within your budget. And then make sure that you can get a good loan that will allow you to pay the mortgage on your home without excessive stress in your life. The new home may be ideal but if you’re going to have to move out in a year because you can’t actually afford it, then it’s not the right place for your first home.

There are many steps that take place when you’re first buying a home, from finding the home to closing the deal. However, the basics are all the same. By knowing what you want, keeping within those limits and working with professionals who can assist you throughout the process, you’ll be able to buy your first home with relative ease. Before you know it, you’ll feel all grown up.

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If you have been watching all the shifts in the investing markets, you may be a little worried about putting your money into any of them right now. Things have been falling and falling, how do you know where it will be safe to put your cash?

Perhaps it’s time to look at some of the other investing options out there like real estate. I am not talking about running around and buying up any extra lots of property you happen to see around you. That comes with a lot of responsibilities and major outlay up front. Not only do you have to have the money to purchase the whole property, but you also have to be able to take care of it and maintain and manage it after the fact. This is a lot to ask for in an investment.

Instead, you may want to look into another type of real estate investing, real estate investment trusts. Real estate investment trusts or REITs are funds where you purchase shares of the investment and a real estate management group of real estate development group uses that money to purchase, build or maintain property ventures. You essentially fund a portion of a property acquisition and management group.

In return for your investment, you will be paid a portion of any profit that the company makes, much like a stock dividend.

While you may be wondering how wise it is to consider real estate in today’s tough market, this is exactly why it may be a good time to look at a little more investing. Here’s why. Sure, there has been a tough time for the markets. Lending has dropped, defaults on properties are on the rise. We’re in tough credit times.

But now let’s look at the positive side of things. Most think the slide has slowed and will soon be stopping. Add this to the fact that those capital markets that REITs use to get their funding for expansion and other purchases are low and that means the chances for REITs to get the capital they want to expand has dropped, for now. While you may think this is a bad sign, the truth is this is a time when the value of REITs is lower, meaning you can get in at a lower price. As things settle and go back to normal, your profits will go up and you will see an even greater return on your investment.

This is the time to log onto a website like REITBuyer.com and find out what REITs are out there, what they are selling for and get yourself in on this low tide so you can enjoy the ride when the financial wave picks up again.

With the other option being putting all of your money away and seeing no growth, what would you prefer?

Money Making Guru Robert G. Allen may have said it best saying, “How many millionaires do you know who have become wealthy by investing in savings accounts? I rest my case.”

This article was written by Earl E. Bird, III, spokesperson for the REITbuyer.com, a website designed to educate investors on REIT buying and investing in Real Estate Mutual Funds. Whether you are a savvy investment guru or a new investor looking for guidance, Reitbuyer.com ahs everything you need to be successful. Visit http://www.reitbuyer.com for more information.

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Thanks to being a part of a global economy, a lot of the walls that were once in place on investing in foreign markets have now disappeared. That means if you have investment dollars to spend, you can really spend them anywhere in the world.

Now you may have known that you could put your money into any of the stock markets around the world before, but have you considered the other markets you can get into. Real estate investment trusts or REITs are also becoming available in more and more countries around the world.

Looking into this type of investing is taking a page from real estate pro Sam Zell who said, “I’ve always been called a professional opportunist, and in the future I’m open to anything. We’ve spent a lot of time offshore, looking at opportunities in real estate outside the United States”

Some of those opportunities may be REITs. REITs are investments where you can purchase shares of a property development or property management group. Instead of traditional real estate investments where you will have to fork out a lot of money for one piece of property, in this case you can purchase smaller shares of a property and still have some level of ownership without all of the responsibilities.

In the case of REITs someone else runs and manages things while you get a portion of the profits.

One of the newer markets to be coming in to REITs is the UK. While most people think the US and UK are pretty similar, they are just catching up with the REIT movement and starting to offer their own REIT options.

In the case of US REITs that portion of the profits has to be at least 90 percent of the profit that comes in from the properties. But as you consider looking beyond US shores for investment options you have to understand that there are different rules in different countries and the return may not be the same. You just need to do your research to know.

It’s always smart to do a fair amount of research before investing your money. Begin by going to REITBuyer.com. This is a full service website that can help you through the process.

Start by taking advantage of their education and research areas. You need to know just what you are getting into before you purchase shares in a REIT. The more you research, the more you know.

Take a look at past performance of REITs that have been up and running for a while. In the case of the UK there are not too many to reference, but they will give you something to look at. There also will likely be articles and reports that you can look at concerning funds that are about to come into creation and get a feel for them.

Once you have a good feel for what you would like to purchase, you don’t have to go anywhere. REITBuyer.com also is a full service investing real estate broker and can help you widen your portfolio and then monitor your purchases online.

This article was written by Earl E. Bird, spokesperson for the REITbuyer.com, a site dedicated to educating Real Estate Investors on how to invest in Real Estate Mutual Funds to diversify their investing portfolio. Learn more at http://www.reitbuyer.com

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When it comes to real estate investing, many people look around the United States for opportunities to invest in the next apartment, condominium or commercial real estate project. Many of them don’t want to buy property outright, but would prefer to purchase a share in a property project. This can be done through a REIT or real estate investment trust. A REIT is much like a mutual fund for real estate investing. A number of shareholders put funds into the system and a real estate management or real estate development company uses that money to build and operate real estate ventures.

It could be an apartment complex or shopping complex that is being run. As the property makes money through rent and leases, the shareholders get a portion of that money back through dividends. By law, REITs must give at least 90 percent of their profit back to the shareholders. That is potential for a great return on an investment.

Yet, watching the current housing and real estate market in the US has many wondering if that is where they want to invest. Well, if you don’t, look elsewhere. There is a wide world out there of real estate opportunities that will let you fund projects not only in this country, but also around the world.

One of the more recent markets welcoming REITs is Asia. While the United States got into the REIT arena in the 1960s, Asia is just entering into this world, which means there are nearly endless opportunities available for those who want to invest in Asian real estate options.

Since the market for REITs is relatively new there, there is a wide variety of investing options available. Depending on which market you are interested in, you can find a REIT in industrial, residential or commercial real estate holdings.

When entering into Asian REITs there are a few things to keep in mind. While the US regulations on REITs state that at least 90 percent of the money that is made in profit has to be returned to the shareholders, this is not always the case in other countries. Therefore you need to do your research before you make a purchase.

So, how do you get started investing in these overseas opportunities? As with any investment, you need to do your homework first. Thankfully, there are places around that will make this easier for you.

Begin by going to a website such as REITBuyer.com This is where you will be able to get a lot of the research you need to find out which REITs are strong and what new opportunities are about to come around that you may be able to get in on.

Next, you can also use REITBuyer.com to make the purchase of your REITs, as they are a complete investing real estate broker.

Once you have made the purchase, you can also continue to monitor your REIT through REITBuyer.com with the tools they offer to help investors keep on the top of their game and their portfolio.

This article was written by Earl E Bird III, spokesperson for the http://www.reitbuyer.com/ an online service for people who wish to invest in real estate without the headaches and liability exposure that go with being a landlord.

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INTRODUCTION

If you’re in the military and considering buying a home, there are some issues you should consider that are unique to active-duty military members. Some of these issue include: the decision to rent vs. buy, advantages and disadvantages of getting a Veterans Administration (VA) guaranteed loan, and other issues related to finding a home and closing the deal.

SHOULD I RENT OR BUY?

The answer is, it depends. The main complication for military homebuyers is that the duration of an assignment to any Command is usually limited to just a few years. Therefore, the potential price appreciation of a home is a key consideration. If a home is likely to appreciate during your assignment more than the fees associated with selling the property, then it may make sense to buy. However, if you are moving to a region in which home prices are likely to remain stable or decline during your residency, then it probably doesn’t make sense to buy a home. Keep in mind that conventional fees for selling a home range from 5% to 7% of the home’s price, so factor this into your cost-benefit analysis.

It’s also hard to predict how easy or difficult it may be to sell a home when you are ready to move. Although there are many factors that impact this issue, homes tend to sell quickly if demand exceeds supply, and slower, when there are too many homes and few buyers.

Besides the issue of price appreciation, there are some circumstances in which it may make sense to buy a property. For example, if you are moving to a community that you could be your final retirement destination, then you may want to buy a property during your assignment. Since property values tend to increase over time, this would allow you to buy a home at a lower price and hold on to it until you retire. In this situation, military homebuyers usually rent out their home after being transferred to another assignment, and then return to the property at retirement.

If you’re considering holding onto the property for rental purposes, be sure you understand the typical costs involved in maintaining a rental property. Some of these costs include: rental agent or property manager fee (if used), maintenance and repairs, property taxes, property insurance, etc. You should determine if the benefits of retaining the property outweigh the costs of being an out-of-town landlord.

The obvious dilemma is that no one can predict the future; your decision should be based on the advise of experts and your own research and judgment.

VETERANS ADMINISTRATION GUARANTEED HOME LOANS

Ok. You’ve decided to buy, now what? Well, its time to start looking into getting a loan. If you’re in the military, then you are probably eligible for a VA-guaranteed loan. In addition, many reservists and veterans are also eligible, but check with your local VA office to find out if you qualify. One other VA rule to keep in mind; you must intend to occupy the property you plan to purchase.

The first step in getting a VA-guaranteed loan is to obtain a Certificate of Eligibility (COE) from the VA. You can apply for the COE by completing VA Form 26-1880, which is available on the VA’s web site. After getting the COE, you are now ready to begin the home loan process.

With your COE in hand, find a lender or mortgage broker who is familiar with doing VA-guaranteed loans. To find these people, ask for referrals from your friends, accountant, attorney, real estate agent, etc. Keep in mind that the home loan business is a competitive industry, and you want to select a lender who can get you the best deal.

You should know that private lenders provide the money for VA-guaranteed loans, and if you don’t repay the loan, the federal government will reimburse the lender up to 25% of the loan amount (but not to exceed $104,250 as of 2006). While the government will reimburse a portion of the loan amount, you will still be held responsible for the debt, so it’s in your best interest not to default on the loan.

SHOULD I GET A VA GUARANTEED LOAN OR A TRADITIONA LOAN

The answer depends based on your situation. In addition to typical costs associated with a loan, the VA-guaranteed loans charge a funding fee ranging from 1.25% to 2.4% of the loan amount (as of 2006), depending on the amount of your down payment. This fee certainly adds to your costs. Some non-VA loans also have similar fees, so it’s important to compare the details of various loan options. Ask your lender to provide you a written Good Faith Estimate (GFE) for both VA and conventional loans. The GFE provides an itemization of the predicated costs associated with different loan types. This will help you to compare loan products and reduce any ambiguity on what a particular lender can provide. Remember, the home loan business is a competitive industry, so be sure to compare different lenders to see who can get you the best deal.

GETTING A LOAN PRE-APPROVAL LETTER

As you talk to different lenders, they will all ask you about how much money you make, how much debt you have, your credit rating, and other financial questions. Based on this information, they will give you an idea of how much you can afford, as well as the predicted monthly payment on your home loan. If you qualify, they will also give you Loan Pre-Approval Letter, which is important because it lets home sellers know that you are a serious buyer.

HOW DO I FIND A HOUSE THAT I LIKE?

Probably the most useful thing you can do to locate a house that meets your needs is to first locate a Real Estate Agent (sometimes called Realtor) to help you. In most circumstances, the home seller pays the buyer’s agent, so there is no cost to you for using an agent. Find an agent who lives and works in the community that you are moving to. It’s also helpful if you can find an agent who has experience working with military homebuyers. You should let the agent know your price range, the type of property you need, the kind of community you want to live in, the size of house you desire, and all the other factors that are important to you.

Your Real Estate Agent should do at least the following:

1. Advise you about lenders they know who can provide competitive bids on your home loan.

2. Get you access to the MLS from their website so that you can search for homes yourself if you wish.

3. Set up automated property notifications so that you receive emails of any homes that come on the market that meet your criteria.

4. Advise you about the advantages and disadvantages of buying a home in different communities. Recommend different communities based on your unique needs.

5. Advise you about the differences between a condo, townhouse and a single-family home.

6. Estimate driving times (rush hour vs. off hours) from different communities to your job or other frequent destination.

7. Provide information about local resources such as schools, libraries, shopping centers, etc.

8. Take you to different homes until you find the one you like.

9. Recommend an offer price (usually a range) based on their research and experience.

10. Prepare written offer documents and negotiate on your behalf to get you the best deal possible.

11. Help you throughout the home closing/escrow process.

There are many other aspects of home buying that your Realtor should be able to help you with. The list above is simply a starting point of the areas that you should expect help from your agent.

FOUND A HOUSE THAT YOU LIKE…NOW WHAT?

The short answer is that you have to make an offer on the property that is attractive enough to be accepted by the seller. Your Real Estate Agent should guide you through all the important issues you need to consider when making an offer. In addition to the price you are willing to pay, you should decide if you want a home inspection, when you would like to move into the home, how much deposit you are willing to provide, etc. Keep in mind that in a market where there are many buyers and few home sellers, offer prices tend to increase. Conversely, in a market when there are too many sellers and few homebuyers, offer prices tend to decline. Again, your agent should advise you about the various issues you need to consider at this point in the process.

Once you have determined your offer price and considered all other relevant information, your agent will prepare a written offer document, which is then delivered to the seller’s agent. The seller will review your offer and either accept your terms, reject the offer altogether, or make a counter offer.

If your offer is ultimately accepted, there are many things that need to occur before you become the owner and move into the house. These steps typically take at least 30 to 45 days after the offer has been accepted. This process is known as “closing” or “escrow.” Your agent can advise you about the various activities that occur during the closing/ escrow process, and the actions you need to take during this time.

During the closing/escrow process, there are many service providers such as home appraisers, home inspectors, termite inspectors, title companies, escrow companies, real estate attorneys, and others, who will provide you services. These services are typically required by your lender to process the loan, or by local law and regulation to transfer the property. These providers charge a fee for their services, which are collectively known as “closing costs.” The Good Faith Estimate mentioned previously should have an estimate of the amount of these closing costs.

BOTTOM LINE

Buying a home, condo or any other type of real estate can be a complicated process. However, by doing some research beforehand, and finding a good Realtor and lender, you should have a smooth and successful experience.

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Buying your first home can be a confusing and daunting experience for the first home buyer. This article takes a look at the costs involved in buying your first home, the first home buyers grant and buying considerations that will help you secure a home that fits your needs.

Defining your Buying Criteria and Budget

Before embarking on your search for the ‘perfect’ first home, it’s helpful to write down a short list of essential elements that you might like, but not neccessarily need in a property. This will help narrow down what you really need in a home, and stops you getting caught up in how pretty a property might look, but may be totally unsuitable or out of your price range.

It’s also important to make a list of your preferred suburbs, and work out your price range and don’t stray from it.

Can I use this property as a stepping stone?

The key to success in real estate is to keep a realistic budget in mind and aim to borrow the least amount possible. Chances are if you are a first home buyer then you are most likely young and can get away with buying a smaller house to start off with. Then step up to buying a larger more expensive home later, when you can afford it. You will be a lot happier with repayments you can actually afford on a smaller loan, and will have money left over to have a comfortable lifestyle.

What should I borrow instead of what they’ll lend me…

Banks may be happy to lend you a lot of money, but will the repayments be feasible? Even if you can afford the repayments, will you still have enough cash left over at the end of the week to buy ‘little extras’ as opposed to just food and bills? It is always wise to buy below your maximum price, which may mean looking at a cheaper suburb or sacrificing that fourth or even third bedroom. It is much better to give up a bedroom, than give up the whole house because you can’t afford it.

Do your homework on prices

Do some research , and keep track of the price of homes in your preferred suburb/s to avoid paying too much.

What are the other costs involved?

You need to take into account all the other costs associated with the purchase of a home, and not just the price it’s listed for. A property that might seem to be in your budget may exceed it considerably once the other costs are factored in. Based on a loan amount of $400,000 here is a breakdown of some of the additional charges:-

* Settlement Agents fees – $1400

* Registration of Transfer – $172

* Registration of Mortgage – $85

* Bank fees and Charges – $600

Do I have to pay Stamp Duty?

If you are a first home buyer, and the value of a home does not exceed $500,000 then no stamp duty is payable. Where the value of the vacant land does not exceed $300,000 then no stamp duty is payable.

How much is the First Home Buyer’s Grant these days?

If you are a first home buyer purchasing a property worth under $500,000 you may also be eligible for the Government’s First Home Buyers Grant which is $7,000. For more information, and to download the application form, click on the link below:-

http://www.dtf.wa.gov.au/cms/osr_content.asp?id=198

If you are purchasing a property worth under $400,000 you may also be eligible fo the REBA Grant, worth an additional $2,000. Ask your real estate agent about the REBA Grant, and they will give you all the necessary paperwork, or alternatively it can be downloaded from the following link:-

http://www.reba.wa.gov.au/article.aspx?c=36&a=139

Tip – Don’t be afraid to ask questions

The only dumb question is the one you don’t ask. Buying a home is a huge commitment and should be well thought out before the purchase. Ask as many questions as you need to, and dont feel pressured by an agent to buy if you don’t want to. Remember, the only important thing is that you are happy and feel confident that the property meets your needs and is affordable.

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