Tips for the Hill City First Time Home Buyer

One of life’s milestones is buying your first Hill City home and with home prices still affordable in the Black Hills region … now is the perfect time to buy. However, it’s really easy to get caught up in the excitement of buying your first home and, in that excitement; many homebuyer’s make some common mistakes.

These mistakes can easily be avoided by preparing and getting smart even before your house hunt begins.

Pre-Approval is key. You may have already computed your debt-to-income ratio and you already have a good idea about how much home you can afford. However, don’t assume that is the loan amount you will ultimately receive. Credit scores play a big role in loan approvals as well as other factors. Making sure you are pre-approved for a loan before shopping for a Hill City home will save time and stress.

Be careful not to get in over your head. While you may be able to afford the house on paper, make sure that you leave yourself some breathing room. Pushing yourself right to the limit will leave you highly exposed to changes in our economy or your personal finances in the future.

A life where all your family earnings go into the support and upkeep of your home is a frequent cause of family stress. Also, you may find yourself with a large beautiful home but with no extra cash to do any updating or additions to make it your own.

Don’t fall in the “perfect home” trap. Everyone’s idea of the perfect home is different. If you trap yourself into only looking at those homes with everything on your wish list, you will be severely limiting your options. It’s important to choose the things you are not willing to compromise on. These may include location, neighborhood, school district, or home size; things you cannot change. Remember, when it comes to personal preferences on additions and decorating, these can be added later.

Also, while you are waiting for that perfect home that meets all of your requirements, housing prices could be rising or mortgage rates going up, adding expense to your purchase. Instead, determine the most important of your needs and select a home that meets the majority of them.

Skipping inspection is not an option. Any good Realtor® will tell you to never skip the home inspection. By completely skipping a whole house inspection in order to save the relatively small amount of money involved is just crazy. Never use a friend or relative with limited experience to conduct the inspection either. You could be missing potentially expensive and even hazardous defects in the property. A whole home inspection protects you and your family from things unseen that could add up to thousands upon thousands of dollars in repairs or rebuilding later down the road.

If you are ready to buy your new home in the Black Hills Area, I’d love to talk with you. Whether you are interested in homes in Hill City, Custer homes for sale, or Rapid City new homes, we can give you the most comprehensive listings that meet your criteria. Our expertise in the Black Hills or Rapid City markets will ensure you a stress-free experience. Contact me, Jim Peterson, at (605) 574-4444 or email me to discuss how I can help you with all your real estate needs. My office is in the heart of Hill City and as a tourist spot, restrooms are hard to find – mine are always open for your convenience!

Ready to Sell Your Black Hills Vacation Home?

A Black Hills vacation home can be a great opportunity for individuals and their families to enjoy all the seasons and activities that this region has to offer. However, some may find that they are not able to utilize their second home as much as they would like, and decide to put the home up for sale. If you have decided on another vacation home or that the upkeep isn’t for you, now is a great time to sell your vacation property.

The process for putting a vacation property on the market is similar to that of selling a primary residence but there can be more obstacles if you don’t live in the immediate area so it’s important to lay the groundwork to help the home sale go more smoothly.

Work with an Experienced Local Agent
Working with an experienced agent indigenous to the area will not only give you peace of mind while you are away but will also have the right connections and insight to the local market to get your home sold for the best price possible. This is especially important in the Black Hills region where it’s quaint towns and high-traffic tourist areas. You need an expert in the area who can answer all the questions about what to expect during the tourist season.

Complete Repairs Before Listing
To help show the property to its fullest potential and to ensure you aren’t making multiple trips to make unexpected repairs before a buyer purchases, have all needed repairs done before the house goes on the market. Consider hiring a home inspector to identify potential problems with the property and decide which repairs can be made quickly and will benefit in the sale. Having an inspection done before listing can also save you time and money down the road with any potential repairs the buyer’s home inspector may find during the transaction.

Give the Inside and Out a Good Cleaning
Giving the inside and out a cleaning and pruning can do wonders for the staging of your vacation home. Although buyers know it’s a vacation home, they don’t want to view a property that is dusty and unkept due to lack of attention. Giving it some attention such as a fresh coat of paint, changing the linens and organizing the house can make a great deal of difference in the appeal to buyers. You may want to hire a landscaper to remove dead branches and trim the brush to improve the curb appeal and make buyers feel that it’s “vacation ready.”

I am a local expert in the Black Hills region and can help you sell your vacation home. Call me, Jim Peterson, at (605) 574-4444 or email me to discuss how I can help you with all your real estate needs. Our expertise in the Black Hills or Rapid City markets will ensure you a stress-free experience in selling your Black Hills Vacation Home. My office is in the heart of Hill City and as a tourist spot, restrooms are hard to find – mine are always open for your convenience!