Help for Colorado Springs First Time Home Buyers

FREE HOME BUYER'S GUIDE

“Unless your best friend or your favorite uncle just happens to be a real estate agent or broker, the task of selecting someone to represent you in a real estate transaction can be daunting — especially for first – time home buyers. Fortunately, clearing a path through this minefield is neither hopeless nor impossible. When you are finally ready to make the jump from renting to home ownership, Mark J Main will be your real estate professional… your agent. He will help you through the entire process.

As a former general contractor and home builder, Mark is especially well suited in helping first time home buyers find a great starter home and void problem properties. He examines everything from the slope of the surrounding lots to the telltale signs of structural issues that may end up costing many thousands of dollars in repairs.

Mark will give you advice and will be your primary negotiator representing your interests throughout the sale. He will help you make informed decisions about the neighborhood and home you want to buy. He has exclusive access to real estate listings and can get you in the homes you want to see.

Mark is an expert in structuring your offer and completing the legal agreements that you need to prepare to submit an offer. As your agent, he works tirelessly to submit your offer, negotiate its acceptance and will serve as your trusted advisor throughout the entire transaction.

Not all agents have equal expertise in understanding their real estate market, helping first-time homebuyers access the best programs or partner with the best lenders. Buying a home is complicated especially when it’s your first time. Luckily for you, Mark has extensive expertise to guide you every step of the way.”

What are the biggest concerns for first time home buyers?

• Purchasing the wrong property
  • Fortunately for you, Mark’s background in construction makes him the only choice for a first-time home buyer. He has the heart of a teacher and will be there to answer your questions.
  • Getting a good value is something that you may be concern about. Mark has developed a proprietary tool for creating an accurate comparative market analysis on the home that you are about to purchase. With this information, you will be able to make informed decisions.
  • It is always recommended that due diligence is applied to the proper inspection of the property that you are about to purchase. It is much better to learn of the short comings and faults of a property before it is your responsibility for the costs of repairs.
• Affording the payments
  • In today’s real estate market, rents are substantially higher than a mortgage payment for a similar home. Additionally, Mark has relationships with a variety of lenders and will be able to direct you to the lender that can provide the best loan product for you.
• Out of pocket expenses
  • For a first-time homebuyer, the mystery of closing costs can be a big one. What’s tricky about closing costs is that there is no definitive list of the fees you will pay. It can be a bit overwhelming thinking about all the little charges that end up on the closing table so it’s best to think of the closing costs as one single expense (which is generally 2%-5% of the purchase price). Closing costs are not meant to be hidden or mysterious fees that take advantage of innocent first-time homebuyers. There are legitimate costs that go into purchasing a home because, let’s face it, there are a lot of people involved in the process and those people need ultimately need to be paid. You can ask your lender for a GFE or “good faith estimate” to get a better idea of what your closing costs maybe.
• 30-year commitment
  • It may seem overwhelming to consider locking into a mortgage for 30 years, but your payments will be going toward your ownership of real property, one of the safest investments from a historical perspective. Most first-time home owners stay in their home for about 5 years before moving up in home. You should be building equity over those years through the pay down of the principle and the appreciation of the local market. This means you should be able to have some money built up for a down payment on the next home.
• Unexpected repairs and maintenance
  • Home ownership does come with added responsibilities for regular and unscheduled maintenance issues. It is recommended that you put aside a little money each month for routine and unexpected expenses.