Useful Home Buying tips for Singles

6 Things buyers Need to Know Before Buying a Short Sale
April 21, 2015
Young Professionals Driving the Charlotte Real Estate Market
April 21, 2015

Useful Home Buying tips for Singles

Not everyone who buys a home is married. Homes can be fantastic investment opportunities for single men and women. Check out these home buying tips if you are single, and looking to buy a home in the near future.

You Can Buy a House (not a Condo)
Many singles in Charlotte prefer the low-maintenance lifestyle afforded by condo or town home living, but being a solo buyer does not mean you should only look at condos. If you want to own a single-family home, you can! This will give you the option to expand your family later, should you choose to, or have space for hobbies and home businesses. Also, having pets is often easier in a home than a condo, with its rules, regulations and lack of yard.

homes for saleGet the Right Legal Help if Buying with Someone
If you are buying a home with a friend or partner, or even a relative, be careful. Since you are not married, you may eventually choose to go your own way, and the lines of how to separate a home and the mortgage payment with an unmarried couple are less clear. Make sure you get legal and financial help from professionals before entering into this type of agreement with someone else, so you do not miscommunication or have unclear expectations for the future.

Invest in a Home Warranty
If the seller is offering a home warranty, consider investing in an upgrade. If the seller is not, consider asking your real estate agent if you can buy one. Since you will be maintaining the home on just one income, it is valuable to have some form of protection, because unexpected repairs right after the costs of moving can be more than a single-income budget can handle.

Get a Good Inspection
Finally, for the same reasons that you want a home warranty, make sure your inspection is clear and thorough. You want to be well aware of any flaws or problems that the home presents. Don’t be scared to walk away if the inspector finds something expensive that the seller is not willing or able to address.

As you enter the home buying market as a single, your real estate agent is going to be an invaluable partner. Contact the team at Henderson Properties to enlist the help of a qualified real estate agent through this process.

Shelly Henderson
Shelly Henderson
Shelly calls herself a “Charlottean” because her family has been there since her elementary school days. She serves as Henderson Properties’ co-founder, along with her husband Phil, managing the day-to-day operations, social media branding and leadership development. Her different life experiences, both positive and challenging, earned the title to her first book Starting From Scratch. Shelly has a servant’s heart and leads her company with purpose and passion. She is mom to two sons who continue as young adults to make her heart swell.