Buying A Home Through Investment

Buying a home is an investment you can bank on. In the last 30 years, the average Maryland homeowner has seen a minimum of a 5 percentage increase in their properties' value. In addition to offering a better way of life, owning a home is just plain smart, financially.

Buying a home

Buying a home is exciting. The journey to finding the home of your dreams should be smooth and efficient. They key to maximizing your time and return on investment, is to work with trained professionals and take advantage of their knowledge.

Don't hesitate to tap into the knowledge bank of an experienced agent, mortgage lender, appraiser, inspector or settlement attorney. The fact is the seller has an agent dedicated to presenting their interest and you need someone to do the same for you.

For example, an experienced buyer agent can tell you about the various Maryland home buyer down payment and closing cost assistance programs. You can find low interest rate mortgage loans through programs such as HOC, CDA (more home for less), etc. "Some buyers are still qualifying for 100% financing mortgage loans," says Delia Galley with Weichert Realtors in the Olney, Maryland. Another important aspect of having a buyer's agent is that they can negotiate price and contract contingencies on your behalf. They can tell you what the house is really worth.

What you should do before you start looking

It is highly recommended that first time home buyers take advantage of seminars and counseling sessions to learn more about financing programs and the local real estate market. Congratulations. You are on your way to homeownership.

First Time Home Buyer Seminars and Information sessions are offered for free through MDHomeBuyers101.Com". Maryland residents can learn more about available financing programs such as CDA, HOC, FHA, VA, etc in a few minutes.

Modular Homes For Perfect Living

You have seen the advertisements. You might even know some people who own one. You think it might be the way to go in buying your next home. But first you should do some research and some thinking. You should understand that there are both pros and cons when it comes to buying a modular home.

You should also realize the difference between a modular and a manufactured home. A modular home is a home that is built basically by a kit. This kit is made in a factory but is put together by trained craftspeople. The buyer can pick out the kit he/she wishes to have and can make some minor changes to it. The kit arrives in pieces and when put together a home is built. A manufactured home is another name for a mobile home or a trailer. These are also made in a factory.

Now that we all know what a modular home is let's look at some of the pros for buying one.

1. They can be set up almost anywhere, as long as there is sufficient space.

2. They are generally pretty affordable.

3. You have some choices of the layout you want. You have choices on how many bedrooms, how many bathrooms, etc. You can also buy kits in which you can do some of the inside work yourself, adding the drywall, finishing the floors, adding the plumbing, etc. Make sure you understand exactly what your kit contains and what work you will have to finish yourself when purchasing.

4. The home will be livable a lot quicker than a home would be if you built it yourself. Actually, you might be amazed at how fast these modular homes can be constructed.

5. You don't have to worry about thieves stealing your lumber as you are building it. (A problem that is growing across the nation).

6. These homes are factory built and do have to follow codes and are inspected by third parties.

7. Most modular homes will help you safe energy.

8. You can easily add more rooms onto it in the future, if the needs or money will allow.

9. If made correctly, can stay beautiful for years.

10. Modular homes are built with real 2 X 4's compared to 2 X 3's that are used in making manufactured homes.

Now for some cons that some people believe exist.

1. Although these homes are built by craftsmen, many people believe that these homes are also put together too quickly and therefore are lacking in craftsmanship.

2. They lose their market value quicker than a normal home does.

3. Some of these modular homes have had some problems with insulation and water lines.

4. Can be harder to finance than a regular home.

5. They do not build equity like regular homes do.

6. May not be as sturdy as a regular home (especially during bad weather, tornados).

Could a modular home be the perfect choice for you and your family? Weigh the pro and con list of reasons for buying a modular home, go and see some for yourself, talk to some salespeople and then decide for yourself. Only then will you know for sure.