How to Buy a House in Metro Atlanta

Viewing homes for sale online, even judging the homeowner's decorative choices, might be a great pastime, that is, until things get real for you, right?  When they do, fear not.  While the process involves far more than just searching MLS Listings of Homes for Sale, it is exactly why I am here.  You don't need to be intimidated by the process with the right resources in place.  I welcome the opportunity to speak with you about the steps involved in buying a home for sale in Gwinnett County.

Share Your Preferred Lifestyle

You're buying a house, and the local lifestyle, and essentially locking into them both for a period of time, so it is important that the right choices for the entire family are kept top of mind.  How does school performance factor into the purchase decision?  Are choices for natural gas important considerations or is one provider OK for the right property?  Gwinnett County alone is roughly 437 square miles, so the availability of senior services, healthcare, sports, parks, recreation, the right shopping districts, and easy access to frequent destinations matters.  Please call to schedule an initial discussion about your family's home ownership goals and lifestyle preferences.

Let the Home Search Begin

That property saved to your favorites may present well online and may actually be the right one for your family.  You'll still want to ensure that it is in good condition, priced right, is in an area that meets your requirements, and is within your budget.  If it passes all of these hurdles, then a presentation of the right offer, one that protects the interests of both parties, may be the next step.  In most cases, the seller of the properties that I'll send to you pays for your agent representation in this endeavor.  So, whether you're considering existing construction or are building a house and need guidance on new home builders, please call me today for properties that may or may not be among the Metro Atlanta MLS Listings.

Buying a House from Your Landlord

Has your landlord offered to sell the house where you live to you?  Please call me to learn how my past credit-eligible (not low-income) clients have successfully bought their rented houses from the landlord with far fewer funds required of them to close.

Safe Closings

You know so much more about your profession than I do, having experienced it from the inside for so long.  I may not be familiar with the best practices in some disciplines, but there are local professionals who are.  You see, my business focus since 2006 has been in Metro Atlanta Residential Real Estate, keeping informed of industry changes nationwide, the Atlanta Market, compliance with the rules of the Georgia Real Estate Commission, tactics to protect against the rampant fraudulent activity such as deposit and earnest money theft, ways to protect my clients, and more.  Apply my years of training, experience, and other resources in the safe pursuit of your home ownership goals in Metro Atlanta. 

Frequently Asked Questions about Buying a House

How much house can I afford?

The lender will consider the applicant's credit score and debt-to-income ratios when assessing affordability.  They'll determine the applicant's gross monthly income over the past 24 months using submitted pay stubs and tax returns, and then calculate how much of that gross income will go toward housing expenses.  This "front-end ratio" is determined by dividing the total of the estimated principal, interest, taxes, insurance, and HOA monthly payments by the gross monthly income.  For conventional mortgages, a ratio of 28 or less is ideal; for FHA and VA Loans, it is usually a maximum of 31, and for USDA Loans, 34.        

The sum of the principal, interest, taxes, insurance, HOA, and all other monthly debt obligations will also be divided by the gross monthly income to arrive at the "back-end ratio."  The lender will look for a back-end ratio at or below 43 for conventional and FHA Mortgages, and at or below 41 for VA and USDA Mortgages. 

Please don't be dismayed if your ratios exceed these limits for a property of interest.  The underwriters are often able to approve borrowers with better credit scores, higher incomes, or other circumstances for higher ratios.  Please call or write me when you're ready for a confidential discussion with a local mortgage lender.

How do I figure out the mortgage payment on a property of interest?   

The MLS Listing of the property should include the list price, property taxes, and information on the homeowners' association dues.    The Mortgage Calculator Page also displays the latest national interest rates, which can be used with the calculator to figure out the estimated monthly mortgage payment, including principal, interest, and taxes.   Insurance rates, however, vary widely, often by area, property, and more.   Contact an agent for more information on typical insurance rates in an area.

Where can I find real estate listings of historic homes for sale in Gwinnett County, GA?

The cities of Buford, Duluth, Lawrenceville, and Norcross, GA, are among the oldest in Metro Atlanta and serve as great starting points for the search for historic homes for sale, with designs that may include Cape Cod, Levittown, and split-level styles.  Unfortunately, there is no menu choice for the term "historic" in Georgia MLS, so a little research may be required.  The Buford, Central Gwinnett, Duluth, Discovery, and Norcross High School Clusters serve some charming older areas of the county, but, of course, your best resource for such an endeavor is a Gwinnett County-based real estate agent.

Where can I find real estate listings of houses with basements for sale, foreclosure homes, or land lots for sale in Gwinnett County, GA?

This Georgia MLS Real Estate Search Tool allows visitors to choose "Land and Lot" as the search type in the lower-left corner, "Foreclosure" in the second column from the right, and "has basement" in the third column from the right at the bottom to search and browse properties throughout Metro Atlanta.

Where can I find real estate listings of Gwinnett County, GA, Luxury Homes for Sale?

Many of the luxury homes for sale in Gwinnett County are outside of neighborhoods.  While there is no menu option for "luxury" in either MLS system, this query returns listings of luxury homes for sale in Gwinnett County priced above $1,000,000.

Where can I find real estate listings of ranch homes for sale?

Many of the ranches for sale can be found on some of the Gwinnett County City Pages, and they'll be added to other pages soon.  

"Please call or write me today to get your Gwinnett County Home Buying Search underway."