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Forty percent of homes are sold during the summer months—May through August, with June being the peak month. Longer days give prospective buyers more time to check out properties, which translates into sellers getting more exposure—that all-important foot traffic. Due to increased demand during peak season, home prices will tend to be higher, which can be great for sellers but is an important reason for home buyers to come prepared to successfully navigate their journey to home ownership. You’ll want to weigh all your options and build a solid plan to ensure you can achieve your goal of home ownership. These tips can help map out your home buying journey.
- Before you begin shopping for your home, determine whether you’re ready and able to buy. You can use this worksheet to guide you through the process.
- Since shopping for your home is often the most enjoyable part of the journey, working with the right real estate agent is important. A good agent will help you find the right home and negotiate your home purchasing process from submitting an offer to closing. We recommend that you complete this checklist to come to your closing fully prepared.
- Know how to protect yourself against mortgage closing scams.
- Home ownership comes with new responsibilities. Use this resource to guide you through home ownership basics.
- Check out these home owner resources from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for a list of approved housing counseling agencies and tips to avoid foreclosure and scams.
- If you believe you’ve been discriminated against during the home buying process, file a complaint with HUD.