No doubt about it, there's a lot of home buying information online. But where do you start? With hundreds of thousands of home buying websites, how do you know which ones to visit?
This article will lighten your load by suggesting some premium online resources.
Finding a Home
A home is a major investment. So in order to find the home that's right for you, you should use as many different sources as possible. Read the real estate section of your newspaper. Watch out for those "For Sale" signs. And, of course, use the Internet. Here are some websites to start with:
* www.realestate.yahoo.com
* www.Homes.com
* www.Realtor.com
Current Interest Rates
The following websites will help you keep up with interest rates. This is important, because interest rates contribute to the mortgage payment you'll make each month. As with everything else, visit multiple websites to get an accurate overall picture.
* www.interest.com
* www.money.cnn.com/rates
* www.bankrate.com
Mortgage Calculators
Online mortgage calculators can give you an approximate monthly payment for particular loan amounts. Just keep in mind that these estimates don’t account for closing costs and other variables. Even so, an online mortgage calculator can help you determine where your comfort zone lies, based on monthly payments. Here are some mortgage calculators to get you started:
* www.money.cnn.com/tools
* www.mortgage101.com/calculators
* www.homebuyinginstitute.com/calculators.html
Finding a Home Inspector
Consider the amount of money you'll pay for a home, and the cost of a home inspection will be miniscule by comparison. But the peace of mind that comes from a thorough inspection is priceless. Here are some websites to help you find a certified home inspector:
* www.homeinspection.com
* www.ashi.org (American Society of Home Inspectors)
* www.nahi.org (National Association of Home Inspectors)
Real Estate News
Keeping up with real estate news will help you understand the market you’re entering. You can better prepare for the home buying process when you know what's going on in your area. Here are two websites to start with:
* www.inman.com
* www.money.cnn.com/real_estate
A Complete Home-Buying Resource
The resources listed above will help you learn about individual topics. But where do you go to learn about the entire home buying process? HomeBuyingInstitute.com has hundreds of helpful articles across 12 home buying categories. You’ll also find real estate news, mortgage calculators, a home buying glossary and more!
* Copyright 2006, Brandon Cornett. You may republish this article online provided you keep the byline, author's note, and active hyperlinks.
About the Author
Brandon Cornett is the editor of HomeBuyingInstitute.com, the Internet's largest library of home buying tips. Put this knowledge to use by visiting http://www.HomeBuyingInstitute.com
