Shopping for a new Big Bear Lake home is an emotional experience. It’s also time consuming and comes with a myriad of details. Some buyers, however, caught up in the excitement of buying a new home in Big Bear Lake tend to overlook some items. Their home purchase turns into an expensive process. These errors generally fall into three areas:

• Paying too much
• Losing a dream home to another buyer
• Buying the wrong home

When you have a systematic plan before you shop for a home in Big Bear Lake, you’ll be sure to avoid these costly errors. Here are some tips on making the most of your home purchase:

Bidding without sufficient information

What price do you offer a Big Bear Lake home seller? Is the seller’s asking price too high? Is it a deal? Without research on the Big Bear Lake real estate market and comparable homes in Big Bear Lake, you could lose thousands of dollars. Before you make that offer, be sure you have researched the market. A professional realtor, can offer an unbiased opinion on the value of a home, based on market conditions, condition of the home and neighborhood. Without knowledge of the market, your offer could be too much. Or worse, you could miss out on a great buying opportunity.

Buying a mis-matched Big Bear Lake home

What do you need and want in a Big Bear Lake home? Sounds simple. Yet, clearly identifying your needs and bringing an objective view to home shopping, leaves you in a better position. Sometimes, home buyers buy a home that is too large or too small. Perhaps they didn’t consider the drive to work, the distance to school, or the many repair jobs waiting for completion. Plan ahead. Use your needs list as a guideline for every home you view.

Unclear title

Before you sign any document, be sure the Big Bear Lake real estate property you are considering is free of all encumbrances. As part of their services, a REALTOR® can supply you with a copy of the title to ensure there are no liens, debts, undisclosed owners, leases or easements.

Outdated survey

Before the purchase is completed, an updated survey is essential. This report will indicate boundaries and structural changes (additions to the house, a new swimming pool, neighbor’s new fence which is extending a boundary line, etc.).

Unexpected repairs

For $300 - $500 a professional inspector will conduct a thorough inspection of the Big Bear Lake home. This way, you’ll have an idea of the cost of future repairs. Make the final contract subject to a favourable report.

Shopping without pre-approval

It only takes a few days to get financing pre-approval. When you are shopping for a Big Bear Lake home, this gives you more power. A seller is more likely to consider an offer from a serious buyer.