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Coldwell Banker Real Estate Corporation Today's Mortgage Rates 6.06% APR* 6.225% > Go to Mortgage Center > Apply now Quick Search country United States Australia Bahamas Bermuda Canada Cayman Islands Dominican Republic Jamaica Mexico Nevis/St. Kitts Philippines Saint Lucia Turks & Caicos US Virgin Islands or by map search by price No min $10,000 $25,000 $50,000 $75,000 $100,000 $125,000 $150,000 $175,000 $200,000 $225,000 $250,000 $275,000 $300,000 $350,000 $400,000 $450,000 $500,000 $600,000 $700,000 $750,000 $800,000 $900,000 $1M $5M $10M to No max $10,000 $25,000 $50,000 $75,000 $100,000 $125,000 $150,000 $175,000 $200,000 $225,000 $250,000 $275,000 $300,000 $350,000 $400,000 $450,000 $500,000 $600,000 $700,000 $750,000 $800,000 $900,000 $1M $5M $10M beds Any 1+ 2+ 3+ 4+ 5+ baths Any 1+ 2+ 3+ 4+ new listings in past 7 days only Detailed Search Special Properties country United States Australia Bahamas Bermuda British Virgin Islands Canada Cayman Islands China Costa Rica Dominican Republic Egypt France India Indonesia Ireland Israel Jamaica Lebanon Mexico Netherlands Nevis/St. Kitts Poland Singapore Sint Maarten Spain Turks & Caicos US Virgin Islands Venezuela or by map city state AK AL AR AZ CA CO CT DC DE FL GA HI IA ID IL IN KS KY LA MA MD ME MI MN MO MS MT NC ND NE NH NJ NM NV NY OH OK OR PA PR RI SC SD TN TX UT VA VT WA WI WV WY zip radius n/a up to 1 up to 2 up to 5 up to 10 up to 15 up to 20 up to 25 miles first name last name language Any English Albanian American Sign Language Arabic Armenian Bulgarian Burmese Cambodian Cantonese Chaochou Chinese Creole Croatian Czech Danish Dutch English Farsi Filipino Finnish French Gaelic German Greek Gujarati Hawaiian Hebrew Hindi Hindustani Hmong Hungarian Icelandic Indonesian Italian Japanese Korean Latvian Luxembourgish Malay Mandarin Morrocan Norwegian Persian Polish Portuguese Punjabi Romanian Russian Serbian Shanghainese Slovak Spanish Swahili Swedish Swiss Tagalog Tahitian Taiwanese Tamil Teluga Thai Tongan Turkish Ukrainian Unknown Urdu Vietnamese Yiddish Yoruba Detailed Search country United States Australia Bahamas Bermuda British Virgin Islands Canada Cayman Islands China Costa Rica Dominican Republic Egypt France India Indonesia Ireland Israel Jamaica Lebanon Mexico Netherlands Nevis/St. Kitts Poland Singapore Sint Maarten Spain Turks & Caicos US Virgin Islands Venezuela or by map city state AK AL AR AZ CA CO CT DC DE FL GA HI IA ID IL IN KS KY LA MA MD ME MI MN MO MS MT NC ND NE NH NJ NM NV NY OH OK OR PA PR RI SC SD TN TX UT VA VT WA WI WV WY zip radius n/a up to 1 up to 2 up to 5 up to 10 up to 15 up to 20 up to 25 miles office name language Any English Albanian American Sign Language Arabic Armenian Bulgarian Burmese Cambodian Cantonese Chaochou Chinese Creole Croatian Czech Danish Dutch English Farsi Filipino Finnish French Gaelic German Greek Gujarati Hawaiian Hebrew Hindi Hindustani Hmong Hungarian Icelandic Indonesian Italian Japanese Korean Latvian Luxembourgish Malay Mandarin Morrocan Norwegian Persian Polish Portuguese Punjabi Romanian Russian Serbian Shanghainese Slovak Spanish Swahili Swedish Swiss Tagalog Tahitian Taiwanese Tamil Teluga Thai Tongan Turkish Ukrainian Unknown Urdu Vietnamese Yiddish Yoruba Detailed Search city or by map state AK AL AR AZ CA CO CT DC DE FL GA HI IA ID IL IN KS KY LA MA MD ME MI MN MO MS MT NC ND NE NH NJ NM NV NY OH OK OR PA PR RI SC SD TN TX UT VA VT WA WI WV WY zip radius n/a up to 1 up to 2 up to 5 up to 10 up to 15 up to 20 up to 25 miles office name Detailed Search SM -- My Coldwell Banker SM Let us do the searching for you! With the Coldwell Banker Personal Retriever ® Service Learn more Sign up today! Log In Forgot your Password? Concierge Home Services International Coldwell Banker Commercial® About Us Careers Contact Us Site Map Terms and Conditions Privacy Policy Buy | Sell | Contact | Learn | My Coldwell Banker © 2005 Coldwell Banker Real Estate Corporation . Coldwell Banker ® is a registered trademark licensed to Coldwell Banker Real Estate Corporation.An Equal Opportunity Company.Equal Housing Opportunity.Each Office Is Independently Owned and Operated Except Offices Owned and Operated By NRT Incorporated.

Investment Property Calculator Our

Investment Property Friday, 30.12.2005 Calculate Everyday Banking Ways to Bank E-Commerce Solutions Borrow International Trade Property Finance Plant, Equipment and Vehicle Finance Information Debtor Finance Apply For... Search this site Go | BNZ Home | Site Map | Terms & Conditions | Contact Us | Rates & Fees | Careers | Investment Property Calculator Our investment property finance calculator is a unique tool developed to help you as an investor test the affordability of property investments you might be considering. It can help you to find out what level of surplus or deficit your "financed" property investment may generate. To move between fields use your mouse, or the Tab button on your keyboard. For further help on using the calculator, just read our instructions . Enter the property's annual rental income: $ Enter the yield you wish to obtain: % Purchase Price: $ ~ result Enter either: loan amount as % of purchase price: Or amount of cash or equity you wish to contribute: 30% 35% 40% 45% 50% 55% 60% 65% 70% 75% $ Loan Amount: $ ~ result Loan Repayments: Interest Only Principal & Interest Interest Rate: 6.00% 6.25% 6.50% 6.75% 7.00% 7.25% 7.50% 7.75% 8.00% 8.25% 8.50% 8.75% 9.00% 9.25% 9.50% 9.75% 10.00% 10.25% 10.50% 10.75% 11.00% 11.25% 11.50% 11.75% 12.00% Repayment based on year term Annual Repayment: $ ~ result Surplus: $ ~ result Surplus return on cash contribution: % ~ result How much will be owing on my loan after years? Amount Remaining: $ ~ result How to use the calculator: Rent is the source of income from any investment property that you may be considering. Key in the rental income that your proposed investment will generate. Yield is the rate of return you expect to achieve from any property investment you may wish to make. Key in the yield that you believe is an appropriate return on your investment. The combination of the rental income together with the yield you expect will determine the amount you will need to pay for the property to satisfy your return expectations. Enter the cash (equity) you would like to contribute to the investment; or Select the loan amount as a percentage of the purchase property you are considering, to test the tolerance of your investment compared to debt levels. Which loan repayment option would you prefer? Interest only or principal and interest? Select an option. Interest rate? Select an interest rate option , or call a property finance lending manager for a quote. Term? The term of your loan will also affect the level of debt servicing that your financed investment property can sustain. Select a term over which you wish to repay your debt. What the calculator will tell you: The price you are prepared to pay for the property you are considering, based on the rental income from the property and the return (yield) you expect on your investment. The total of the annual payments to service the debt on this proposition, based on the percentage you have considered borrowing against the purchase price, the repayment option you have selected and the term you have chosen. The cashflow surplus before any overheads, depreciation, miscellaneous costs and taxation. What it won't tell you: The quality of the rent. Before you make any investment, you must independently check that the tenant(s) in the property you are considering purchasing have a sound track record, and can be relied upon (in your opinion) to pay the rent. The quality of the property. Check with a registered valuer about the quality of the investment you are about to make. Ask a property finance lending manager for some guidance on how to choose a registered valuer to help you in making a prudent decision. The quality of your investment decision. Once again, we recommend you seek guidance from a registered valuer, a solicitor and an accountant in helping you make a sound decision. Ask a property finance lending manager for some guidance on how to choose your professional advisors. DISCLAIMER The calculator is provided for general information purposes only and does not form advice given by Bank of New Zealand. Bank of New Zealand accept no liability whatsoever for the consequences of any use of the calculator which shall not constitute an offer of finance. back to top © Bank of New Zealand 2001. Use of the information contained on this page is subject to our Terms and Conditions

Florida Real Estate ,

Naples Real Estate, Naples Florida Real Estate, Naples FL Real Estate - Berry Realty Group Site Map Naples Real Estate , Naples Florida Real Estate , Marco Island real estate , and homes for sale in Collier County , Bonita Springs , and Estero . See Naples Florida Real Estate We're #1 For A Reason! Home | Neighborhood Tours | Buying | Selling | Featured Homes | Search For A Home | Life in SWF Your Guide To Naples and Southwest Florida Real Estate Home Online Relocation Guide Neighborhood Tours Free Market Analysis Map of Naples Rentals and Leases Real Estate Blog What Is Your Home Worth? Meet Our Team Maps Newsletter Mortgage Beach Cam (Live) Contact Us Email Us Local Resources Commercial Properties Links E-Pros Scott Berry ABR, E-Pro Sun Realty 3757 Tamiami Trail North Naples, FL 34103 800-450-0198 239-450-0290 Your Ultimate Naples Florida Real Estate Guide Scott Berry and The Berry Realty Group Scott Berry Was Recently Featured On ABC News! Awarded Top 10% in the Nation for Consumer Satisfaction by the Internet Consumer Group OTHER HOT REAL ESTATE ARTICLES MORE NAPLES FLORIDA REAL ESTATE STATISTICS >> Whether you are buying or selling property in Naples or Southwest Florida, we have assembled a comprehensive set of tools to make the process easier. YOUR Naples Florida Real Estate Agents! IF YOU ARE NEW TO PURCHASING OR SELLING NAPLES FLORIDA REAL ESTATE If you are new to purchasing or selling in Naples, you have definitely come to the right place. Real estate practices vary from state to state, and even among counties. We know the real estate market better than anyone else, and we would love to assist you. Naples Real Estate Directory Naples Florida Real Estate Directory Naples Real Estate Naples Florida Real Estate Bonita Springs Florida Real Estate Estero Florida Real Estate Bonita Springs Real Estate Estero Florida Real Estate Southwest Florida International Airport Florida Real Estate Directory Temecula Real Estate Olde Cypress Naples Real Estate Beautiful Custom Homes For Sale In Olde Cypress Naples The Best Naples Florida Real Estate Blog Naples Real Estate Naples Florida Real Estate Naples, FL Real Estate Whether you are buying or selling property in Estero or Southwest Florida, we have assembled a comprehensive set of tools to make the process easier. YOUR Estero Florida Real Estate Agents! IF YOU ARE NEW TO PURCHASING OR SELLING ESTERO FLORIDA REAL ESTATE If you are new to purchasing or selling in Estero, you have definitely come to the right place. Real estate practices vary from state to state, and even among counties. We know the real estate market better than anyone else, and we would love to assist you. Naples Real Estate Directory Naples Florida Real Estate Directory Whether you are buying or selling property in Bonita Springs or Southwest Florida, we have assembled a comprehensive set of tools to make the process easier. YOUR Bonita Springs Florida Real Estate Agents! IF YOU ARE NEW TO PURCHASING OR SELLING BONITA SPRINGS FLORIDA REAL ESTATE If you are new to purchasing or selling in Bonita Springs, you have definitely come to the right place. Real estate practices vary from state to state, and even among counties. We know the real estate market better than anyone else, and we would love to assist you. Whether you are renting or Looking for a Naples Florida Rental, we have assembled a comprehensive set of tools to make the process easier. YOUR Naples Florida Rental Agents! IF YOU ARE NEW TO RENTING OR LEASING NAPLES FLORIDA REAL ESTATE If you are new to renting or leasing in Naples, you have definitely come to the right place. Rental markets, policies, and practices vary from state to state, and even among counties. We know the Naples rental market better than anyone else, and we would love to assist you. Naples Florida Rentals Search this site powered by FreeFind See Us In The See Us In The Florida Real Estate Directory Sand Dollar Title Group, Inc. Naples Title Services This site features Naples real estate , and homes for sale, land for sale and other real estate for sale in Naples Florida, The Moorings, Pelican Marsh, Pelican Bay Real Estate, Vanderbilt Beach, Barefoot Beach, Park Shore, Port Royal, Old Naples, Bonita Springs, Estero, Marco Island and neighboring communities. Search this site for homes for sale in Collier County communities including, Naples, Pelican Marsh , The Moorings, Bonita Springs, Estero, Marco Island,Pelican Bay , Vanderbilt Beach , Barefoot Beach , Park Shore , Port Royal , Olde Naples , and find your dream home! Scott Berry, and the Berry Realty Group ,can help you buy , sell or lease a home or other real estate throughout the Collier County,Naples , and the surrounding communities. Naples Real Estate , Naples Florida Real Estate Naples Real Estate, Naples Florida Real Estate Naples Real Estate, Naples Florida Real Estate Real Estate Banner Network Find our listing in the directory at Real Estate & Mortgages Pelican Marsh, Pelican Marsh Real Estate Alpharetta Georgia Real Estate Crete hotel , apartments for holidays Crete - Greece flights All Links Directory Florida Real Estate SeekOn/Real Estate Indexed by State 1000's of FREE Promotional Resources = Reciprocal links exchange database and website promotion resources and more! PropertyTrek Mortgage Closing Costs You Shouldn't Pay - Click Here "Your High Speed Connection To Paradise" Is A Registered Trademark Scott Berry 2003-2004 | All Rights Reserved

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Real Estate Link Exchange Discussion | Banner Network | Classifieds | Traffic Packages | Create Your Own Top Sites Get listed on the most popular real estate directories. Save up to 80% REALS.com RealEstate4.com LinkRE.com Search4agent.com NetSavvyAgent.com Real Estateim.com InterviewAgent.com DirectoryRealEstate RealEstateYellow IRealEstateDirectory HouseBuySell.com RealEstateBig.com RealEstateAward.com RealEstateBest.com ListingPage.com Search4Agent.com Search4Mortgage.com Search4Listing.com Search4Rental.com Search4byOwner.com Search4Foreclosure.com Search4Builder.com Search4Contractor.com Does your web site trade reciprocal links, or would you like to find other websites interested in trading reciprocal links? Visit our directory of Real Estate Link Exchange. As you know, exchanging links helps both sides in improving the traffic (by increased visibility, and by extra scoring in major search engines counting number of links as an important scoring factor). " Driving People to Your Site: Banners and Links Pay Off " - Bill Koelzer, "The Web Marketer". Browse for Link Partners Sites in database: · Agents & Brokers · Apartment & Rental · Appraisal · Commercial Real Estate · Construction and Builders · Consultant · Finance & Mortgage · For Sale By Owner · Foreclosure Real Estate · General Real Estate Directories · Golf Property · Home & Garden · Home Decoration · Home Warranty Real Estate · Inspection Service · Insurance · International Real Estate · Land & Rural · Luxury Home Real Estate · Mover & Relocation · New Home Real Estate · Pest Control · Property Listing · Property Management · Real Estate Legal · Real Estate Office Space · Real Estate Resort · Real Estate Support SHOP ONLINE 1,000 Real Estate Marketing Tools and Supplies. Click Here to View More About Us - Submit Site - Link to Us - Contacts Information contained herein is deemed accurate and correct, but no warranty is implied or given. ?2003 RealEstateLinkExchange, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Buy Home

Common Questions from First-time Homebuyers - HUD HUD News Newsroom Priorities About HUD Homes Buying Owning Selling Renting Homeless Home improvements HUD homes Fair housing FHA refunds Foreclosure Consumer info Communities About communities Volunteering Organizing Economic development Working with HUD Grants Programs Contracts Work online HUD jobs Complaints Resources Library Handbooks/ forms Common questions Tools Webcasts Mailing lists Contact us Help Common Questions from First-time Homebuyers Information by State Esta página en español Print version Email this to a friend Why should I buy, instead of rent? Answer: A home is an investment. When you rent, you write your monthly check and that money is gone forever. But when you own your home, you can deduct the cost of your mortgage loan interest from your federal income taxes, and usually from your state taxes. This will save you a lot each year, because the interest you pay will make up most of your monthly payment for most of the years of your mortgage. You can also deduct the property taxes you pay as a homeowner. In addition, the value of your home may go up over the years. Finally, you'll enjoy having something that's all yours - a home where your own personal style will tell the world who you are. What are "HUD homes," and are they a good deal? Answer: HUD homes can be a very good deal. When someone with a HUD insured mortgage can't meet the payments, the lender forecloses on the home; HUD pays the lender what is owed; and HUD takes ownership of the home. Then we sell it at market value as quickly as possible. Read all about buying a HUD home . Check our listings of HUD homes and homes being sold by other federal agencies. Can I become a homebuyer even if I have I've had bad credit, and don't have much for a down-payment? Answer: You may be a good candidate for one of the federal mortgage programs . Start by contacting one of the HUD-funded housing counseling agencies that can help you sort through your options. Also, contact your local government to see if there are any local homebuying programs that might work for you. Look in the blue pages of your phone directory for your local office of housing and community development or, if you can't find it, contact your mayor's office or your county executive's office. Are there special homeownership grants or programs for single parents? Answer: There is help available. Start by becoming familiar with the homebuying process and pick a good real estate broker. Although as a single parent, you won't have the benefit of two incomes on which to qualify for a loan, consider getting pre-qualified, so that when you find a house you like in your price range you won't have the delay of trying to get qualified. Contact one of the HUD-funded housing counseling agencies in your area to talk through other options for help that might be available to you. Research buying a HUD home, as they can be very good deals. Also, contact your local government to see if there are any local homebuying programs that could help you. Look in the blue pages of your phone directory for your local office of housing and community development or, if you can't find it, contact your mayor's office or your county executive's office. Should I use a real estate broker? How do I find one? Answer: Using a real estate broker is a very good idea. All the details involved in home buying, particularly the financial ones, can be mind-boggling. A good real estate professional can guide you through the entire process and make the experience much easier. A real estate broker will be well-acquainted with all the important things you'll want to know about a neighborhood you may be considering...the quality of schools, the number of children in the area, the safety of the neighborhood, traffic volume, and more. He or she will help you figure the price range you can afford and search the classified ads and multiple listing services for homes you'll want to see. With immediate access to homes as soon as they're put on the market, the broker can save you hours of wasted driving-around time. When it's time to make an offer on a home, the broker can point out ways to structure your deal to save you money. He or she will explain the advantages and disadvantages of different types of mortgages, guide you through the paperwork, and be there to hold your hand and answer last-minute questions when you sign the final papers at closing. And you don't have to pay the broker anything! The payment comes from the home seller - not from the buyer. By the way, if you want to buy a HUD home , you will be required to use a real estate broker to submit your bid. To find a broker who sells HUD homes, check your local yellow pages or the classified section of your local newspaper. How much money will I have to come up with to buy a home? Answer: Well, that depends on a number of factors, including the cost of the house and the type of mortgage you get. In general, you need to come up with enough money to cover three costs: earnest money - the deposit you make on the home when you submit your offer, to prove to the seller that you are serious about wanting to buy the house; the down payment , a percentage of the cost of the home that you must pay when you go to settlement; and closing costs , the costs associated with processing the paperwork to buy a house. When you make an offer on a home, your real estate broker will put your earnest money into an escrow account. If the offer is accepted, your earnest money will be applied to the down payment or closing costs. If your offer is not accepted, your money will be returned to you. The amount of your earnest money varies. If you buy a HUD home, for example, your deposit generally will range from $500 - $2,000. The more money you can put into your down payment, the lower your mortgage payments will be. Some types of loans require 10-20% of the purchase price. That's why many first-time homebuyers turn to HUD's FHA for help. FHA loans require only 3% down - and sometimes less. Closing costs - which you will pay at settlement - average 3-4% of the price of your home. These costs cover various fees your lender charges and other processing expenses. When you apply for your loan, your lender will give you an estimate of the closing costs, so you won't be caught by surprise. If you buy a HUD home , HUD may pay many of your closing costs. How do I know if I can get a loan? Answer: Use our simple mortgage calculators to see how much mortgage you could pay - that's a good start. If the amount you can afford is significantly less than the cost of homes that interest you, then you might want to wait awhile longer. But before you give up, why don't you contact a real estate broker or a HUD-funded housing counseling agency ? They will help you evaluate your loan potential. A broker will know what kinds of mortgages the lenders are offering and can help you choose a lender with a program that might be right for you. Another good idea is to get pre-qualified for a loan. That means you go to a lender and apply for a mortgage before you actually start looking for a home. Then you'll know exactly how much you can afford to spend, and it will speed the process once you do find the home of your dreams. How do I find a lender? Answer: You can finance a home with a loan from a bank, a savings and loan, a credit union, a private mortgage company, or various state government lenders. Shopping for a loan is like shopping for any other large purchase: you can save money if you take some time to look around for the best prices. Different lenders can offer quite different interest rates and loan fees; and as you know, a lower interest rate can make a big difference in how much home you can afford. Talk with several lenders before you decide. Most lenders need 3-6 weeks for the whole loan approval process. Your real estate broker will be familiar with lenders in the area and what they're offering. Or you can look in your local newspaper's real estate section - most papers list interest rates being offered by local lenders. You can find FHA-approved lenders in the Yellow Pages of your phone book. HUD does not make loans directly - you must use a HUD-approved lender if you're interested in an FHA loan. In addition to the mortgage payment, what other costs do I need to consider? Answer: Well, of course you'll have your monthly utilities. If your utilities have been covered in your rent, this may be new for you. Your real estate broker will be able to help you get information from the seller on how much utilities normally cost. In addition, you might have homeowner association or condo association dues. You'll definitely have property taxes, and you also may have city or county taxes. Taxes normally are rolled into your mortgage payment. Again, your broker will be able to help you anticipate these costs. So what will my mortgage cover? Answer: Most loans have 4 parts: principal: the repayment of the amount you actually borrowed; interest: payment to the lender for the money you've borrowed; homeowners insurance: a monthly amount to insure the property against loss from fire, smoke, theft, and other hazards required by most lenders; and property taxes: the annual city/county taxes assessed on your property, divided by the number of mortgage payments you make in a year. Most loans are for 30 years, although 15 year loans are available, too. During the life of the loan, you'll pay far more in interest than you will in principal - sometimes two or three times more! Because of the way loans are structured, in the first years you'll be paying mostly interest in your monthly payments. In the final years, you'll be paying mostly principal. What do I need to take with me when I apply for a mortgage? Answer: Good question! If you have everything with you when you visit your lender, you'll save a good deal of time. You should have: 1) social security numbers for both your and your spouse, if both of you are applying for the loan; 2) copies of your checking and savings account statements for the past 6 months; 3) evidence of any other assets like bonds or stocks; 4) a recent paycheck stub detailing your earnings; 5) a list of all credit card accounts and the approximate monthly amounts owed on each; 6) a list of account numbers and balances due on outstanding loans, such as car loans; 7) copies of your last 2 years' income tax statements; and 8) the name and address of someone who can verify your employment. Depending on your lender, you may be asked for other information. I know there are lots of types of mortgages - how do I know which one is best for me? Answer: You're right - there are many types of mortgages, and the more you know about them before you start, the better. Most people use a fixed-rate mortgage. In a fixed rate mortgage, your interest rate stays the same for the term of the mortgage, which normally is 30 years. The advantage of a fixed-rate mortgage is that you always know exactly how much your mortgage payment will be, and you can plan for it. Another kind of mortgage is an Adjustable Rate Mortgage (ARM). With this kind of mortgage, your interest rate and monthly payments usually start lower than a fixed rate mortgage. But your rate and payment can change either up or down, as often as once or twice a year. The adjustment is tied to a financial index, such as the U.S. Treasury Securities index. The advantage of an ARM is that you may be able to afford a more expensive home because your initial interest rate will be lower. There are several government mortgage programs,including the Veteran's Administration's programs and the Department of Agriculture's programs . Most people have heard of FHA mortgages. FHA doesn't actually make loans. Instead, it insures loans so that if buyers default for some reason, the lenders will get their money. This encourages lenders to give mortgages to people who might not otherwise qualify for a loan. Talk to your real estate broker about the various kinds of loans, before you begin shopping for a mortgage. When I find the home I want, how much should I offer? Answer: Again, your real estate broker can help you here. But there are several things you should consider: 1) is the asking price in line with prices of similar homes in the area? 2) Is the home in good condition or will you have to spend a substantial amount of money making it the way you want it? You probably want to get a professional home inspection before you make your offer. Your real estate broker can help you arrange one. 3) How long has the home been on the market? If it's been for sale for awhile, the seller may be more eager to accept a lower offer. 4) How much mortgage will be required? Make sure you really can afford whatever offer you make. 5) How much do you really want the home? The closer you are to the asking price, the more likely your offer will be accepted. In some cases, you may even want to offer more than the asking price, if you know you are competing with others for the house. What if my offer is rejected? Answer: They often are! But don't let that stop you. Now you begin negotiating. Your broker will help you. You may have to offer more money, but you may ask the seller to cover some or all of your closing costs or to make repairs that wouldn't normally be expected. Often, negotiations on a price go back and forth several times before a deal is made. Just remember - don't get so caught up in negotiations that you lose sight of what you really want and can afford! So what will happen at closing? Answer: Basically, you'll sit at a table with your broker, the broker for the seller, probably the seller, and a closing agent. The closing agent will have a stack of papers for you and the seller to sign. While he or she will give you a basic explanation of each paper, you may want to take the time to read each one and/or consult with your agent to make sure you know exactly what you're signing. After all, this is a large amount of money you're committing to pay for a lot of years! Before you go to closing, your lender is required to give you a booklet explaining the closing costs, a "good faith estimate" of how much cash you'll have to supply at closing, and a list of documents you'll need at closing. If you don't get those items, be sure to call your lender BEFORE you go to closing. Be sure to read our booklet on settlement costs . It will help you understand your rights in the process. Don't hesitate to ask questions. More information? Answer: See our 100 questions and answers about buying a home. Content updated October 25, 2005 Back to top FOIA Privacy Web Policies and Important Links Home U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development 451 7th Street S.W., Washington, DC 20410 Telephone: (202) 708-1112 TTY: (202) 708-1455 Find the address of a HUD office near you