{"id":365,"date":"2017-05-10T16:36:40","date_gmt":"2017-05-10T16:36:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.utahrealestate.com\/?p=365"},"modified":"2021-08-11T15:50:23","modified_gmt":"2021-08-11T15:50:23","slug":"checklist-for-first-time-home-buyers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.utahrealestate.com\/index.php\/2017\/05\/10\/checklist-for-first-time-home-buyers\/","title":{"rendered":"Checklist for First-Time Home Buyers"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n


\nSo you\u2019ve decided to buy your first home. It’s an exciting adventure and there are many things you\u2019ll need to prepare for. Before you get going, here is a list of steps to help you along and make the process easier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pick your location and browse for homes online<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

One of the biggest things you\u2019ll want to settle on before you start your search is the location where you want to live. If you\u2019re not set on specific neighborhoods, think about the best area for your needs. Keep in mind the commute, schools, proximity to family and friends, and overall lifestyle.  You can use the tools found on www.UtahRealEstate.com to find homes that match your location and criteria.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hire a REALTOR\u00ae<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Searching online is a great way to find what you’re looking for, but it can be overwhelming and tricky to understand the best process for making an offer on a home. You may be looking at homes that are out of your price range and you don\u2019t want to get your heart set on something only to later find out that it doesn\u2019t quite fit your budget.
\nHaving a professional on your side to guide you through negotiations can help you avoid costly situations that will help you save in the long run. You can find an agent that works in your area on UtahRealEstate.com\u2019s Find a Realtor<\/a> search page.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Talk to a mortgage lender<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

It is a good idea to research and find a lender so that you can get pre-qualified for a loan. Starting this process early, especially in a hot market, may help bolster your offers on homes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Improve your credit if needed<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

When you decide on a lender, your credit will be examined and you will receive a credit score. Anything above a 760 is considered a strong score; 700 to 759 is considered a good score; and 650 to 699 is considered a fair credit score. Your score will play a role in determining the interest rate you receive from your lender
\nIf you find that your credit score is not where it should be, there are things that you can do to bump it up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Don\u2019t damage your credit report<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

When you\u2019re in the process of buying your home, be sure to be mindful of your finances. Late credit payments and large credit purchases may lower your credit score or create questions from your lender, which can possibly hurt you in the loan process. Your loan isn’t fully approved until it goes through underwriting, and that can stretch throughout the closing period.
\nSave<\/span>
\nSave<\/span>
\nSave<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

So you\u2019ve decided to buy your first home. It’s an exciting adventure and there are many things you\u2019ll need to prepare for. Before you get going, here is a list of steps to help you along and make the process easier. Pick your location and browse for homes online One of the biggest things you\u2019ll … Continue reading Checklist for First-Time Home Buyers<\/span> →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[16,7],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\nChecklist for First-Time Home Buyers - UtahRealEstate.com Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.utahrealestate.com\/index.php\/2017\/05\/10\/checklist-for-first-time-home-buyers\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Checklist for First-Time Home Buyers - UtahRealEstate.com Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"So you\u2019ve decided to buy your first home. It’s an exciting adventure and there are many things you\u2019ll need to prepare for. Before you get going, here is a list of steps to help you along and make the process easier. Pick your location and browse for homes online One of the biggest things you\u2019ll … Continue reading Checklist for First-Time Home Buyers →\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/blog.utahrealestate.com\/index.php\/2017\/05\/10\/checklist-for-first-time-home-buyers\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"UtahRealEstate.com Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/UtahRealEstateMLS\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2017-05-10T16:36:40+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2021-08-11T15:50:23+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/blog.utahrealestate.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/AdobeStock_64971650.jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"admin\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@Utah_MLS\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@Utah_MLS\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"admin\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/blog.utahrealestate.com\/#organization\",\"name\":\"UtahRealEstate.com\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/blog.utahrealestate.com\/\",\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/utah_mls\/\",\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/1411829\",\"https:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/utahmls\",\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/UtahRealEstateMLS\",\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Utah_MLS\"],\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/blog.utahrealestate.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/cdn.blog.utahrealestate.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/30222224\/House-URE-Logo-Black-no-background.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/cdn.blog.utahrealestate.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/30222224\/House-URE-Logo-Black-no-background.png\",\"width\":2700,\"height\":600,\"caption\":\"UtahRealEstate.com\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/blog.utahrealestate.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"}},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/blog.utahrealestate.com\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/blog.utahrealestate.com\/\",\"name\":\"UtahRealEstate.com Blog\",\"description\":\"Real Estate Topics and News\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/blog.utahrealestate.com\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/blog.utahrealestate.com\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/blog.utahrealestate.com\/index.php\/2017\/05\/10\/checklist-for-first-time-home-buyers\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/blog.utahrealestate.com\/index.php\/2017\/05\/10\/checklist-for-first-time-home-buyers\/\",\"name\":\"Checklist for First-Time Home Buyers - UtahRealEstate.com Blog\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/blog.utahrealestate.com\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2017-05-10T16:36:40+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2021-08-11T15:50:23+00:00\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/blog.utahrealestate.com\/index.php\/2017\/05\/10\/checklist-for-first-time-home-buyers\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/blog.utahrealestate.com\/index.php\/2017\/05\/10\/checklist-for-first-time-home-buyers\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/blog.utahrealestate.com\/index.php\/2017\/05\/10\/checklist-for-first-time-home-buyers\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/blog.utahrealestate.com\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Checklist for First-Time Home Buyers\"}]},{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/blog.utahrealestate.com\/index.php\/2017\/05\/10\/checklist-for-first-time-home-buyers\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/blog.utahrealestate.com\/index.php\/2017\/05\/10\/checklist-for-first-time-home-buyers\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"admin\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/blog.utahrealestate.com\/#\/schema\/person\/013945e5295f653163a4a27c3bd795d1\"},\"headline\":\"Checklist for First-Time Home Buyers\",\"datePublished\":\"2017-05-10T16:36:40+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2021-08-11T15:50:23+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/blog.utahrealestate.com\/index.php\/2017\/05\/10\/checklist-for-first-time-home-buyers\/\"},\"wordCount\":445,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/blog.utahrealestate.com\/#organization\"},\"articleSection\":[\"Buying or Selling a Home\",\"Real Estate Guides\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/blog.utahrealestate.com\/index.php\/2017\/05\/10\/checklist-for-first-time-home-buyers\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/blog.utahrealestate.com\/#\/schema\/person\/013945e5295f653163a4a27c3bd795d1\",\"name\":\"admin\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/blog.utahrealestate.com\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/274786e761fb0284c92bb268c7f02407?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/274786e761fb0284c92bb268c7f02407?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"admin\"},\"url\":\"https:\/\/blog.utahrealestate.com\/index.php\/author\/admin\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Checklist for First-Time Home Buyers - UtahRealEstate.com Blog","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/blog.utahrealestate.com\/index.php\/2017\/05\/10\/checklist-for-first-time-home-buyers\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Checklist for First-Time Home Buyers - UtahRealEstate.com Blog","og_description":"So you\u2019ve decided to buy your first home. It’s an exciting adventure and there are many things you\u2019ll need to prepare for. Before you get going, here is a list of steps to help you along and make the process easier. Pick your location and browse for homes online One of the biggest things you\u2019ll … Continue reading Checklist for First-Time Home Buyers →","og_url":"https:\/\/blog.utahrealestate.com\/index.php\/2017\/05\/10\/checklist-for-first-time-home-buyers\/","og_site_name":"UtahRealEstate.com Blog","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/UtahRealEstateMLS","article_published_time":"2017-05-10T16:36:40+00:00","article_modified_time":"2021-08-11T15:50:23+00:00","og_image":[{"url":"https:\/\/blog.utahrealestate.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/AdobeStock_64971650.jpeg"}],"author":"admin","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@Utah_MLS","twitter_site":"@Utah_MLS","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"admin","Est. reading time":"3 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/blog.utahrealestate.com\/#organization","name":"UtahRealEstate.com","url":"https:\/\/blog.utahrealestate.com\/","sameAs":["https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/utah_mls\/","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/1411829","https:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/utahmls","https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/UtahRealEstateMLS","https:\/\/twitter.com\/Utah_MLS"],"logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/blog.utahrealestate.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/cdn.blog.utahrealestate.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/30222224\/House-URE-Logo-Black-no-background.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/cdn.blog.utahrealestate.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/30222224\/House-URE-Logo-Black-no-background.png","width":2700,"height":600,"caption":"UtahRealEstate.com"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/blog.utahrealestate.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"}},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/blog.utahrealestate.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/blog.utahrealestate.com\/","name":"UtahRealEstate.com Blog","description":"Real Estate Topics and News","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/blog.utahrealestate.com\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/blog.utahrealestate.com\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/blog.utahrealestate.com\/index.php\/2017\/05\/10\/checklist-for-first-time-home-buyers\/","url":"https:\/\/blog.utahrealestate.com\/index.php\/2017\/05\/10\/checklist-for-first-time-home-buyers\/","name":"Checklist for First-Time Home Buyers - UtahRealEstate.com Blog","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/blog.utahrealestate.com\/#website"},"datePublished":"2017-05-10T16:36:40+00:00","dateModified":"2021-08-11T15:50:23+00:00","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/blog.utahrealestate.com\/index.php\/2017\/05\/10\/checklist-for-first-time-home-buyers\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/blog.utahrealestate.com\/index.php\/2017\/05\/10\/checklist-for-first-time-home-buyers\/"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/blog.utahrealestate.com\/index.php\/2017\/05\/10\/checklist-for-first-time-home-buyers\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/blog.utahrealestate.com\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Checklist for First-Time Home Buyers"}]},{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/blog.utahrealestate.com\/index.php\/2017\/05\/10\/checklist-for-first-time-home-buyers\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/blog.utahrealestate.com\/index.php\/2017\/05\/10\/checklist-for-first-time-home-buyers\/"},"author":{"name":"admin","@id":"https:\/\/blog.utahrealestate.com\/#\/schema\/person\/013945e5295f653163a4a27c3bd795d1"},"headline":"Checklist for First-Time Home Buyers","datePublished":"2017-05-10T16:36:40+00:00","dateModified":"2021-08-11T15:50:23+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/blog.utahrealestate.com\/index.php\/2017\/05\/10\/checklist-for-first-time-home-buyers\/"},"wordCount":445,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/blog.utahrealestate.com\/#organization"},"articleSection":["Buying or Selling a Home","Real Estate Guides"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/blog.utahrealestate.com\/index.php\/2017\/05\/10\/checklist-for-first-time-home-buyers\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/blog.utahrealestate.com\/#\/schema\/person\/013945e5295f653163a4a27c3bd795d1","name":"admin","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/blog.utahrealestate.com\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/274786e761fb0284c92bb268c7f02407?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/274786e761fb0284c92bb268c7f02407?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"admin"},"url":"https:\/\/blog.utahrealestate.com\/index.php\/author\/admin\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.utahrealestate.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/365"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.utahrealestate.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.utahrealestate.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.utahrealestate.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.utahrealestate.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=365"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/blog.utahrealestate.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/365\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1214,"href":"https:\/\/blog.utahrealestate.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/365\/revisions\/1214"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.utahrealestate.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=365"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.utahrealestate.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=365"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.utahrealestate.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=365"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}