First time home buyers often face a lot of difficulties in searching the home and completing the formalities associated with it. In order to make your home buying experience easy and stress free, here are some useful tips that you should always keep in mind.

• Set a Budget: The first thing to consider before buying a home is “how much you can afford”. Be realistic in setting a budget and considering the appropriate loan amount, keeping all other expenses in mind such as grocery, packers and movers, minor repair work etc.
• Get expert advice: The first time buyers should consider hiring an agent to avoid any wrongdoing or fraud during the process. The agent will properly guide you and help in the paperwork required for signing the deal.
• Be clear about requirements: Before inspecting the properties available, take a decision for the type of house required. It may include single family home, apartment, townhouse, duplex or condos. It will help you narrow the search and save a lot of time.
• Home inspection: The buyer can either inspect the home himself or hire a professional to analyze the quality of material used, security, availability of electricity and water, leakage, neighborhood etc. If any serious issue or defect is revealed during inspection, then be prompt at informing the seller about it, negotiating the price or asking him to get the repairs done.
• Monitor the market: Before finalizing a house, do investigate about the prices of the similar houses available in the market, this will give a fair idea about the offer to be made while purchasing the house.
• Second opinion: In case you were alone while scrutinizing the house, then get a second opinion by bringing your friends or relative to have a look at the property. They may notice something that you might have missed.
• Get an Estimate: The buyer has to act very diligently at this step. Asking about the estimate of the house does not only include the cost of the house,  but also includes the expenses associated with it like the registration fee, homeowner’s association fee, documentation fee, state recording fee etc. The buyer should get an estimate for the entire cost of the house.
• Make an offer: Take the help of a real estate agent while deciding the amount to be offered while finalizing the home. The agent will help in determining the price according to the current market trends. The buyer may confirm the closing costs too.  
• Finalizing the deal: If the realtor is able to negotiate well with the seller and the deal has been finalized, then the closing and paper work should be done very carefully. The buyer should make sure that he clears all his queries before making the final payment.

The buyer should be very careful at each and every step while purchasing a home as any negligence can result in great losses.

For thorough guidance in home buying process, consult the real estate agents at Lone Star Realty and Property Management, Inc,. You can call at (254) 699 - 7003 or visit our office at 1020 W, Jasper Dr, Killeen, TX 76542.

If you are planning to sell your house it is essential that you make it enticing for the potential buyers to increase competition and your asking price. While staging your home you need to engage the prospective buyer emotionally, as such decisions are often governed by emotions rather than logic. Here are some tips that will help you entice potential buyers.

Decide a competitive price

To attract the attention and interest of the potential buyers it is essential that you price your house competitively. You should do some research and find the current value of properties in your area to evaluate the worth of your house. If you want to sell your house urgently then you can negotiate the price with the buyer and offer to sell your house at a price that is a bit lower than the estimated value.

Enhance the curb appeal

To make your property look attractive to you should increase the curb appeal of your house. Improve the landscape; prune the shrubs and plants to ensure a clean and maintained look. You can introduce some ornamental plants or pots to the lawn and make sure that the grass is mowed. The entire exterior of your house should be attractive and clean. You can give a fresh coat of paint to the exterior walls and make sure the first impression of your home is captivating and impressive. Prospective buyers usually have many options to choose from and you need to make an extra effort to make your property stand out.

Make necessary fixes

You must ensure that no faucet is leaking in the house and the carpets are clean and don’t have any stains.  If you find any leaking faucets, pipes and broken windowpanes, you should repair them as soon as possible. You must replace anything that is beyond repair as undertaking any home improvement projects can boost the value of your house.

Hire professional home stager

If you do not have the time to manage and change the interiors and exteriors of your home you should consider hiring a professional stager who will advise you on how to rearrange the furniture and re-paint and re-decorate your house. They will use their skills to highlight the best features of your home and by staging your house in the right way you can make the prospective buyer envision himself living in the house.

These ideas will surely help you boost the sales prospects of your house and get a profitable deal.

Moving into a new home is a very exciting and memorable experience however a few things should be kept n mind to make the transition as smooth as possible. Although winding up and packing your belongings from your old place of residence will take up all of your attention, you must pay emphasis on things that need to be done at your new house before you move in. Here are some of the most important things that you must consider doing before moving into your new house.

• Change the locks: This should be the first thing to do before moving into your new home. Security is of utmost importance and you should make sure you change all the locks and install new deadbolts so only you have access to the house.
• Look for plumbing leaks: Although this falls under the task of the home inspector, there is no harm to cross check and ensure there is no leaking. Examine the water heater, running toilets or dripping faucets for any signs of leaks.
• Paint the house: You can paint the house if there is any sign of damage or cracks in the walls or ceilings or if you simply do not like the previous color.
• Check for pests: Look for any signs of pest infestations such as rodents, termites, bed bugs etc in the house. You should inspect the house for pest droppings, decayed wood and chew marks to be sure.
• Install new switch boards: Most of the old houses have switch plates that are discolored, dirty and mismatched. Replacing all of them will bring uniformity and enhance the beauty of the house.
• Steam clean carpets: Carpets contain oodles of dust and germs that sometimes cannot be seen by the naked eye. Therefore, before moving your furniture into the house it is advised that you get your carpets steam cleaned to make sure they are clean and shiny. You can clean the carpets yourself or hire a professional to do the same.
• Wipe out cabinets: Make sure you wipe and clean all your cabinets and shelves before placing in your dishes and other kitchen supplies. You should use a non-toxic cleaning agent to make the cabinets absolutely germ free.
• Install window treatments: If you have a house that has too many windows you should get window treatments installed as soon as possible. You can either go for solid colored or textured coverings depending upon your choice.

We, at Lone Star Realty and Property Management, Inc, offer complete real estate services in Texas. For more information, you can call at (254) 699 - 7003 or visit our office at 1020 W, Jasper Dr, Killeen, TX 76542.