Newport Beach Homes – Harbor Realty

Anybody who has been involved in the purchase of a property will already know how complicated things can become. It is important to be as prepared as possible prior to committing to the purchase of a home in Orange County. Below is a very basic outline of the process of buying a home, especially useful for first time buyers or those who have not purchased a property in many years.

1. Make sure you really want and need to buy your own home; in some cases rental homes can be a better option for people.
2. Decide if you are financially ready. Can you afford the regular commitment? Work out your buying power (get an Orange County loan pre-approval letter) and decide if this will get you the kind of property that suits your needs.
3. Contact professionals. A good starting place would be an Orange County REALTOR®, who can help you with every step of the home buying process. It is also important to contact your bank or mortgage broker to obtain loan pre-approval. Additionally, learn about the costs associated with home insurance.
4. Find the right home. This can take a long time for some people; again a REALTOR® in Orange County that is familiar with the areas in which you are interested would be able to help with this considerably.
5. Making an offer. This involves having your REALTOR® write an offer to buy your home to the seller.
6. Counter-offers. It is unusual that the first offer made will be accepted. Generally, sellers will counter your offer. You may also choose to counter their offer. Once the offer has been accepted, the actual sale takes place.
7. Closing day arrives; you take ownership of your new property.
8. Hire a moving company to help move your possessions or you may choose to do it yourself. If you need to save money, it may be best to move your belongings yourself. However, if you have any items that need special care, such as a piano or other furniture, you may choose to hire a moving company for those specific items.

This is a very basic outline of the entire home buying process. It is advised you get professional advice before embarking on the potentially perilous journey of purchasing your own home. Being prepared, flexible, and having excellent guidance from Harbor Realty can help ensure that you have a good home buying experience.

Following on from our previous article about house selection, we are going to take a look at some of the decisions that need to be made, alongside the actual physical characteristics of your new home.

Commute Times

If you are a working family, and thinking about moving to Newport Beach, you’ll need to figure out what your commute time will be.   Is your place of work far?  If so, are you willing to make the hike each day?  Luckily Irvine is fairly close by, which is a major commercial area of business in Orange County.  There are many types of jobs in all the surrounding communities as well.

Newport Beach Taxes

What is the tax costs encountered when living in Newport Beach?  What is the overall cost of living?  Can you afford it and still keep your commitments?

Newport Beach Schools

If you have children then you need to find out about the educational facilities in the area, not just for this year, but for the entire education of your child.  Newport Beach has easy access to a full range of excellent schools.  There are many public, private and charter schools in and around Newport Beach.

Entertainment & Recreation

Are there entertainment and recreational facilities close at hand that satisfy your tastes?  If you are a keen practitioner of a particular sport or hobby, are you able to continue with it when you move to your new home?  If nightlife is your thing, there is plenty to choose from in the Newport Beach area.  What about dining?  Are there restaurants close by that serve your favorite food and can supply an eating experience that is within your budget?

The decisions that need to be made when moving to a new home, are far greater than simple defining the style and requirements of the property itself.  You need to make sure your lifestyle is catered for and every amenity you need is available in the new area.

You would be surprised how many people enter into the home buying process without giving due care and attention to deciding the actual physical characteristics of the home they are looking for.  Many will fall into the “oh that’s pretty” style of house viewing without considering a home has to be a functional living space.

Think about the size of the home you require.  A large home means more work.  If you are a working family you may need a maid or a gardener to help with the upkeep of a large home.  What style of home are you looking for?  Something with more visual appeal than practicality or a property that is a home first and a work of art second?  Check which architectural styles are available in the area where you wish to relocate and decide which you like best.

How should the living space be divided?  How many bedrooms do you need?  Remember to allow for future expansion and the possibility of visitors or new additions to the family.  In a similar way, work out how many bathrooms you require and where they should be situated.  Do you require a large garden?  Remember that a large garden is hard work to maintain, especially if it contains a swimming pool.  Next we move onto the bricks and mortar.  What type of materials would you prefer your home be constructed from?  What type of roofing?  Does it need to be double glazed or insulated?

As you can see, there are almost as many questions as there are answers when trying to decide upon the shape of your perfect new home, answering as many as possible will ensure you do not buy a property that is unsuitable for your needs.  Keep in mind, though, most homes will not have everything that you desire or need.  Differentiate between your family necessities and desires so that you do not pass up on the perfect home for lack of something you don’t truly need.