Questions First-Time Home Buyers Should Ask

Nationwide, mortgage rates are low in MD and home prices remain relatively low, too. This combination, plus rising rents, is pushing renters in some cities -- including Rockville -- toward first-time homeownership.

Buying your first home can be exciting, but you should also do your research to make sure that you ask the proper questions of the process, and make the best choices for yourself and your household.

For example, recommended questions for first-time buyers to ask home sellers include :

What major repairs have been made to your home?

Although standard disclosure forms are supposed to provide information regarding past damage and renovation to the property, there are occasionally repairs that are omitted or otherwise forgotten.  Be proactive and ask pointed questions about the roof, the foundation, and the electrical system. Some home issue have a way of resurfacing many years later and it's best to know in advance. •

To which school district does the home belong?

As a first-time homebuyer, you may or may not have school-aged children. However, in many areas, public school rankings positively (or negatively) affect home values. Ask your real estate agent for school district data. Consider asking the seller for feedback, too.

Is this a "distressed" property, and what does that mean to me?

For many home buyers, the allure of a foreclosed home or a home in short sale can be large. Prices are discounted as compared to comparable real estate -- sometimes by as much as 20%. However, many distressed properties are sold as-is,” with little room for negotiation. This means that homes may be defective or, worse, uninhabitable. Ask your real estate agent for help with distressed homes and their suitability to your home buying needs.

After asking the above questions, and other questions, too, it's important to remember that buying a home can be an emotional decision; and one that requires using your "brain" as much as your "heart". Try to keep emotions in check so that you don't overpay for a home that's unsuitable, for example.

Distressed Homes Now Selling At A 20 Percent Discount

The housing market recovery stalled last month. At least temporarily.

According to the National Association of REALTORS®, Existing Home Sales slipped 1 percent in April from the month prior, falling to 5.05 million units on a seasonally-adjusted, annualized basis. The reading is exactly in-line with report's 6-month average which also reads 5.05 million units.

The data may appear "average", but there's another angle to consider. 

In April, as compared to March, the supply of existing homes for sales spiked. At the current pace of home sales, it would now take 9.2 months to exhaust today's complete home inventory. This is almost one full month worse than March. It's the worst home supply reading of the year.

There are also more homes "on the market" today than at any time since September 2010.

Other noteworthy statistics in the April Existing Home Sales report include:

• 31 percent of all homes sold in April were purchased with cash
• First-time home buyers bought 36 percent of all homes in April
• Distressed properties typically sold at a 20 percent discount

This "discount", it should be noted, is a major reason why distressed properties accounted for 37 percent of the home resales in April. Home buyers are finding bargains when they're willing to consider homes in various stages of foreclosure and short sale.

Overall, the April Existing Home Sales report represents opportunity for home buyers in and around Rockville. Home sales are stagnant, supplies are rising and there's no shortage of properties from which to choose. Furthermore, mortgage rates remain low.

If you're considering a home purchase this fall, home supply may not be as ample, and financing conditions may not be as favorable, post-Labor Day. Talk to your real estate agent about what's possible today. You may want to move up your time frame.