Finding a home these days can be difficult, especially in a dream location like O’ahu. It’s no secret that home prices have been rising in recent months, which is why you need someone like me, Tom Kiyabu, to show you the island and introduce you to the home of your dreams. I had my real estate license in 1984 and have 40+ years of corporate experience in contract negotiation and public relations. I want to help you find your perfect home, so here are some things you should avoid doing when looking for your O’ahu home.
The Biggest Mistakes Homebuyers Make
Not Saving Enough
For those first-time buyers out there, make sure you have enough saved up to buy a home. While it may seem obvious to save up money for a down payment, you should not have to exhaust your savings to buy a home. Exhausting your savings to buy a home limits how much you can do with your home and puts you in financial danger. For advice on how much you will need to spend on a home on O’ahu, reach out to me! The City Government provides assistance up to $40K to help with the down payment.
Buying Too Much Home
People often overestimate the size of the home they want to buy. If there are only two of you who will live in a home, you don’t want to buy a huge place. That will be too much to care for. On the flip side, if you have a family of six kids, you don’t want to buy a house that’s too small because you won’t have enough room. Don’t let a home location or appearance impact your decision to buy a home that may end up being too large or too small.
Not Getting Preapproved
The mortgage payment process is long and can be complicated. Many couples disregard getting preapproved and when they go to buy a house, they are unable to because the approval process is taking too long. When thinking about looking at homes for sale in Oahu, make sure to get pre approved beforehand.
Not Doing A Home Inspection
A home inspection is an invaluable part of the home buying process. Many people will disregard getting a home inspection because of cost or time. However, I would not recommend passing on the inspection. A thorough home inspection can reveal a multitude of repairs you may need to make. In my experience, inspections can impact the home offer and help you make an educated decision.