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发帖数: 725 | 1 在网上看到的，觉得对第一次买房的会有帮助。
Buying a home in Texas is similar to purchasing a home in some of the other
states and very different from yet other states.
Texas is one of nine community property states. Generally speaking, a
community property state is a state in which property accumulated during a
marriage (other than by gift or inheritance or property owned by one spouse
prior to the marriage), is equally owned by each spouse.
Texas homeowners may apply for a Homestead Exemption on their principal
residence. A Homestead Exemption protects the home from most creditors;
however, this does NOT include the homeowner's mortgage company, taxing
authorities nor the noteholder of a home improvement loan (home improvement
loans have to meet certain conditions for the lien to be valid). The
Homestead Exemption also lowers property taxes on the property, by exempting
a portion of the home's value from taxes.
FIRST THINGS FIRST . . . the preliminaries:
Whether you are moving within Texas or from another state, it would be a
good idea to choose a Buyer's Agent, a Realtor who you feel confident in and
who you feel you can work closely with, to guide you through the homebuying
process. When you begin working with an agent, you will be asked to sign
disclosure notices such as Information about Brokerage Services, a
Residential Buyer/Tenant Representation Agreement and a Broker Notice to
Buyer/Tenant. In most cases, buyer representation is free to the buyer.
It may help to make one list of things you want and a separate list of
things you need in a home and let your Realtor know upfront, so they can
focus only on homes that will be of interest to you. If you need and will
only consider one-story homes, there is no point in looking at two-story
homes.
Prioritize which things are the most important to you such as the
neighborhood itself; size of home, number of bedrooms, other rooms (study,
gameroom, other), size of yard, age of home, pool or no pool, one-story or
two-story; and proximity to work, freeways, schools, hospitals, golf courses
, shopping, etc.
If you will be working outside the home, it will probably be important to
decide, before looking at homes, how far you are willing to drive to work
and how long you are willing to spend in the car driving each day. In some
larger cities, many people who live in the suburbs like to rely on a transit
system for getting to and from work. Check with your Realtor for transit
system information in a particular city.
Let your Realtor know what time frame you have to work with -- when you want
or need to be in a home. If the home you choose is occupied, the seller
will need time to move. Many sellers will be prepared to move on short
notice. Just get things clarified upfront. If you will be looking at short
sales, you may need to allow extra time to close (discusss with your
Realtor). Short sales can be good deals, but they often require a lot of
extra patience, time (sometimes months) and understanding. Foreclosures
usually move along a little more predictably.
One good thing about a short sale is that the homeowner is normally still
involved and will be providing a Seller's Disclosure Notice.
If you are purchasing a foreclosure, the bank is the owner and never lived
there, so is not required to provide the Seller's Disclosure Notice. Before
purchasing a foreclosue property, try to find out as much about the
property as possible. Your Realtor may be able to provide you with
information regarding things such as previous sales amount(s). If previous
MLS information is still available, you may be able to find out about known
defects of the property, age of certain updates and other information you
would not otherwise know about. And, of course, the neighbors may be a good
source of additional information.
Be sure, in any transaction, to understand when you will be allowed to do
property inspections, who will be responsible for turning on utilities (you
or the seller) and under what terms and conditions you will be able to
withdraw from the contract and get your earnest money back.
Discuss with your Realtor what things could help or hinder resale of a
property. These may vary by city. For example, a certain location within a
subdivision may be fine with you, but is there anything about the location
that may make the property harder to sell if you should decide to sell the
property at a later date? Or, you may not have children in school, so
schools may not be important to you; but it could be important when it is
time to sell your property. In some cities, especially larger cities,
school district, and even individual schools within a district, can affect
resale values as well as how long it will take a property to sell. You can
search for and compare all public schools in Texas at www.HAR.com/school.
Not all cities have zoning. Check with your Realtor about local zoning laws.
Crime statistics for different areas can be checked by calling the local
police department. Another source is www.spotcrime.com/tx. In larger
cities, obviously there will be more incidents of crime since there are more
people. Go to www.txdps.state.us to search the Texas Department of Public
Safety's database of registered sex offenders.
Before heading out to look at homes, one of the first things your Realtor
will suggest is getting pre-approved (not just pre-qualified) - sellers will
expect it, especially if you purchase a foreclosure or short sale. Waiting
until you find a home and then getting pre-approved can cause you to loose
the home you want. If another buyer likes the same property and is already
pre-approved, that buyer may well have the advantage.
Your Realtor will probably be able to give you a list of experienced lenders
known to give good service if you don't already have a lender lined up.
Many buyers also check with their bank or credit union. Check to see if
friends or relatives have had a good experience with a lender. Ultimately,
who you choose is your choice. Compare interest rates and fees of at least
two or three lenders and ask about any special loan programs they have
available.
READY TO START LOOKING AT HOMES!
Once the preliminaries are out of the way, you are ready to look at homes!
With the prices of homes being what they are and interest rates being at or
near historical lows, 2011 should be a great time to buy a home!
Have fun and be sure to take notes on the different properties as you go.
After you look at even three or four homes, features may start to run
together. Let your Realtor know your thoughts on each home, as well.
Before making a final decision, you may want to visit a particular home or
homes a second time.
Once you decide on a home, ask your Realtor to do a market analysis for that
home. You want to make sure it isn't overpriced for the area before you
enter into a contract. If it's priced right, the seller may not be very
negotiable on the price.
Before entering into a contract, buyers should ask for the Seller's
Disclosure Notice which is a disclosure of the seller's knowledge of the
condition of the property. It will also indicate if the current owner
carries flood insurance. Flood insurance may be required by a lender,
depending on where a property falls on the flood plain maps. If paying cash
for a home, ask your homeowner's insurance agent if the home is in a flood
plain and whether you should carry flood insurance. Many homeowners choose
to carry flood insurance as a preventative, whether required by their
mortgage company or not.
Ask if there are any exclusions - things the seller is taking with them that
you may have assumed stayed with the property. It's much better to find
out upfront and avoid possible disagreements later.
The offer is normally made using forms provided by the Texas Real Estate
Commission, Texas Association of Realtors and/or the local Board of Realtors
. The following is not a complete list, but some of the forms that may be
used for making an offer on a single-family home, in addition to the
disclosure forms mentioned previously, are:
One to Four Family Residential Contract
Third Party Financing Addendum for Credit Approval
Notice to a Purchaser of Real Property in a Water District
Addendum for Property Subject to Mandatory Membership in a Property Owners
Association
Environmental Assessment . . . Addendum
General Information and Notice to a Buyer
Inspector Information
Information About Property Insurance
Information About On-Site Sewer Facility
Protect Your Family from Lead in Your Home
For Your Protection: Get a Home Inspection
Relocation Addendum (if applicable)
Short Sale Addendum (if applicable)
There are many other forms for different types of properties and different
transactions (such as rentals and foreclosures). There are additional forms
for the single-family home, as well; and not all of the above forms will be
used in every offer on a single family home. For example, not all homes
are in a water district, not all homes will need the Short Sale Addendum,
etc. If you are purchasing a foreclosure or a property from a relocation
company, they will probably have their own set of forms and addenda as well
-- read them carefully!
Forms are revised and updated frequently. It's important to use the most
current forms available. You are welcome to have your attorney review the
forms prior to signing them if you wish.
Most transactions include having a title search done and the purchase of a
title policy, which is highly recommended even if the property is being
bought and sold between family members. There could be title issues,
including liens, that neither party is aware of and that could be very
costly for you at a later date if not resolved prior to closing. For example
, sometimes liens show up that should not even be there and the current
owner may be the only one that would know that; and you won't want to close
until those are cleared. If there is a lender involved, they will require
clear title.
Even if you are paying cash and it is not required, it is suggested that you
have a survey and appraisal of the property done; and as mentioned above, a
title search and clear title should be a top priority. A survey verifies
boundary lines, easements and fencelines. Don't take shortcuts just
because you can.
Most offers on homes include earnest money and an option fee. Earnest money
deposits seem to be different in different areas. Some sellers will
require one percent of the sales price; some will ask for more, some will
ask for less. However, the amount is negotiable between the parties.
Option fees will vary as well. The option fee is an amount the buyer pays
to the seller for the unrestricted right to terminate the contract within a
specified number of days. It is normally within this period of time that a
buyer has inspections done and negotiates any repairs to be done by the
seller.
There will most likely be things on an inspection report that the seller was
not aware of and, therefore, will not be on the Seller's Disclosure Notice.
It is up to the buyer and seller to negotiate if any repairs will be done
by the seller. Sometimes the buyer's lender will require that certain
repairs be done before they will lend. Still, it is up to buyer and seller
to negotiate whether the seller will agree to do repairs.
Some items that may or may not be covered in a standard home inspection:
termite or pest inspection; in depth structural or foundation inspection;
inspection of pools, spas, wells, septic systems, sprinkler systems, mold,
lead based paint, environmental, stucco, and in depth assessment of heating
and air conditioning. There may be other items or systems in a home that
would require inspections outside the standard inspection, as well. Each
buyer should analyze the specific home they are buying and determine what
specialized inspections they want to have done, if any.
You can hire inspectors to do as many specialized inspections as desired or
you can hire an inspection company that performs inspections for all or most
all of the different items. Be sure to get all inspections in a timely
manner and within contract guidelines.
BEFORE selecting your inspection company, be sure to go over what
inspections they cover and what inspections they do not cover so that you
know upfront if you will want to order additional inspections.
On the Addendum for Property Subject to Mandatory Membership in a Property
Owners Association, it is a good idea to request a Resale Certificate from
the owner's association (if there is one), along with the deed restrictions
and bylaws for the subdivision.
Plan on doing a walk-thru prior to closing.
lt's best that buyers not ask to move in prior to funding. Funding is
considered to have taken place once the seller's proceeds check has been
issued. An early move-in is not even an option in most cases where a
relocation company or a bank is the seller (foreclosures).
Be prepared to bring money in the form of a Cashier's Check to closing. The
title company or closing attorney's office will calculate the amount you
need to bring after they get closing doucments from your lender. This
amount should be close to the amount on your Good Faith Estimate which you
should have already received from your lender, so you should have a pretty
good idea of the amount needed to close. You will also be asked for at
least one form of identification - check with the title company or closing
attorney's office where you will be closing to see what they will require.
Before signing papers (closing), be sure that the title is clear, any agreed
upon repairs have been done, homeowner's insurance is in place, including
flood insurance (if applicable), arrangements have been made for utilities,
mail, alarm, etc. If there is something you don't understand or fees that
you do not understand at closing, be sure to ask and get clarification
before signing papers.
Depending on the type of transaction or type of loan (Cash, Conventional,
FHA, VA, or Other), typical Buyer closing costs may include the following,
as well as other items:
Origination fee
Discount point(s)
VA Funding Fee (VA loans only)
Survey
Appraisal
Credit Report
Document Preparation Fee
Underwriting Fee
Processing / Funding Fee
Tax Service Fee
Recording Fees
Amortization Schedule
Flood Certificate
PMI or MIP Premium
Mortgagee's Title Policy
Escrow Fee
Homeowner's Assoc. Transfer Fee
Certain prepaid items may also be due at closing. These usually include
approx. one-year of homeowner's insurance paid upfront, several month's
worth of taxes (discuss with your lender), buyer's pro rata share of any
homeowner association dues and some portion of one month's interest (discuss
with your lender).
Sometimes buyers will negotiate in the contract that the seller will help
with closing costs. This should be done at the time of the initial offer if
it is something the buyer wants to request.
It is suggested that new owners have locks changed or rekeyed after taking
possession of the property. It's not necessarily that you don't trust the
seller, but more so that you have no idea who all may have keys to the
property or who the seller may have forgotten that has keys to the property
(neighbors, relatives, contractors, friends, kids, the previous owner,
tenants, etc.).
After closing, you will want to make sure the name has been changed on
county and other records. If you are eligible to apply for the Homestead
Exemption, be sure to do so after the first January 1 that you live in the
property. You will have until April of that year to apply for a Homestead
Exemption for that year and subsequent years. | l*********e
发帖数: 605 | | z**********i
发帖数: 12276 | 3 好长。
德州和其他州的区别主要是property tax 高，还有其他的吗？
other
spouse
【在 W******8 的大作中提到】
: 在网上看到的，觉得对第一次买房的会有帮助。
: Buying a home in Texas is similar to purchasing a home in some of the other
: states and very different from yet other states.
: Texas is one of nine community property states. Generally speaking, a
: community property state is a state in which property accumulated during a
: marriage (other than by gift or inheritance or property owned by one spouse
: prior to the marriage), is equally owned by each spouse.
: Texas homeowners may apply for a Homestead Exemption on their principal
: residence. A Homestead Exemption protects the home from most creditors;
: however, this does NOT include the homeowner's mortgage company, taxing
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