First Time Homebuyers

For first-time homebuyers, buying your first home in Hampton Roads can be a memorable experience. Getting prequalified, finding a helpful real estate agent, figuring out the type of house you want and where you want to live are all steps that can lead to that coveted role of homeowner.

A good way to dive into the process of buying your first home is locating a skilled real estate agent. At SimonHouses.com, our agents are experienced in helping first-time homebuyers make home ownership a reality. These professionals know buying your first home can be a bit scary so they take time to understand your concerns and put those worries to rest. Our agents are residents of Hampton Roads, know this area well and can help answer questions about communities throughout the region. A trusted real estate agent is an invaluable tool available to first-time buyers. Good agents can save their clients money and time but most importantly, show them how fun it can be to buy a home for the very first time.

A great real estate agent can then introduce you to another helpful person, a loan officer. At SimonHouses.com, each of our loan officers on our mortgage team is friendly and knowledgeable about many first-time buyer programs. These cooperative people handle your financials and figure out how much home you can afford. While it may sound fun to jump into looking for houses, getting prequalified is a crucial step that should not be overlooked. If buyers don't know how much they can spend on a property, they could be wasting their time. Getting prequalified also helps first-time homebuyers financially prepare for the road ahead.

The next part of the buying process concerns the home itself. Buyers need to take a little time and honestly come up with items that an ideal home possesses. What can you live without? What is an absolute must? Below is a list of features a buyer can elaborate on when prioritizing what he wants his first house to have.

  • Size
  • Bedrooms
  • Number?
  • Sizes?
  • Master suite?
  • All on the same floor?
  • Bathrooms- Number? Finishings?
  • Kitchen- Certain layout? Appliances? Upgrades? Pantry?
  • Mud room
  • Laundry room
  • Formal living room
  • Formal dining room
  • Floors- One? Two?
  • Type of construction- Brick? Stucco? Vinyl siding? Stone
  • Fireplace
  • Flooring- hardwood? Tile? Carpet?
  • Age- Newer construction? Older home?
  • Garage- One-car? Two-car?
  • Bay window
  • Closets/storage space
  • Floor plan- Split?
  • Design- Craftsman? Modern? Center Hall Colonial? Traditional?
  • Finished basement/attic
  • Yard spac
  • Fence
  • Front porch
  • Patio/deck
  • Attached
  • Detached
  • Off-street parking
  • Cities
  • Neighborhoods
  • Subdivisions?
  • Rural areas? Downtown?
  • School districts
  • Commuting time- 15 minutes? 30 minutes? 45 minutes?
  • Close to parks/recreational facilities
  • Close to shopping/entertainment

First-time homebuyers can now just hand over a completed priority list to their real estate agent so he can get to work. Once an agent has exact parameters, he can diligently search high and low to come up with a group of homes to show. Now comes the fun part- touring homes in Hampton Roads. This stage allows buyers to imagine themselves living in particular homes, looking at everything with a world of possibilities. Take your time in each home that feels like it may be the one and know that the right home will come along at the right time. In the meantime, check out some of the neighborhoods in cities you like and make sure you haven't missed any choice areas.

Buying your first home can bring an onslaught of emotions but can be a truly rewarding experience. Finding the right real estate agent and getting prequalified are just part of this remarkable journey towards home ownership. Deciding what's most important to you in a first home can help you enjoy the adventure of making this satisfying investment in Hampton Roads.