Buying your first home in Bethesda or Chevy Chase can be so exciting and frightening at the same time.  It’s the single largest purchase you have ever made.  It may be a bigger investment than any that your parents ever made.  That alone could make you want to run the other way, but STOP!  I can help you buy your first home, and we’ll have fun doing it.

There are a few things you can do to get prepared for that first home purchase.  These simple guidelines will make the process simple and less stressful.

  • Decide what kind of house you “need” or “want” before you start looking.  How many bedrooms do you want?  How many bathrooms will you need?  Do you need a basement, fenced yard, garage or a family room?  Have this soul search before you start your search.  There are no right or wrong answers here – but you need to think about your life style and what is important to you.
  • Drive around your area and see which neighborhoods look like places in which you would like to live.  Which ones can you scratch off your list?  Do this on a Saturday or Sunday and also after work. Is the neighborhood quiet? Are there lots of people walking around? Is that a good thing for you – – or not. Are people in their yards playing with children or doing yard work? or in their driveways working on their cars?
  • Do a few web-searches on Zillow.com, Trulia.com, Realtor.com, Homes.com, FranklyMLS.com.  That will give you a little sense of what to look for when reviewing listings.  Remember though that many of the web-sites do not have up to date information. For that, you should register at www.thelisehowegroup.com because our information is always up to date and accurate.
  • Call The Lise Howe Group, Inc. You will need an experience Realtor to help you gain access to the homes that you ultimately want to look at, and your Realtor can help you see things you may not have enough experience to see.
  • Ask your Lise Howe Group agent for recommendations on Lenders and make an appointment.
  • Have the lender to a summary of your financial situation and qualify you for a purchase of $XXXXXX.  That will help you know what price range you should be looking in.
  • Schedule a meeting with your Lise Howe Group agent and talk about your wants and needs, pick your favorites from the current listings available and go take a look.
  • Have your Lise Howe Group agent explain the homebuying process from contract through loan to closing.  You will have a time-line to work details out.  Your Lise Howe Group agent can get your ready to take that journey.
  • Celebrate Your New Home and Your New Friends at Closing! Congratulations!
  • Move in and recommend The Lise Howe Group to all your friends.