Your dream can be achieved with a simple plan and the desire to see it through…. all the way to your new home!
Happy New Year! 2017 is in the books and 2018 has arrived with a bang! If you’re looking to make 2018 the year that you finally become a home owner, then it’s time to make a few New Year’s resolutions.
Hartz Homes would like to suggest some key resolutions for first time home buyers that can be achieved by simple planning and the desire to see them through…. all the way to your new home!
Resolution #1: Save for a down payment
Saving money to buy a home doesn’t mean you have to make giant cuts from your monthly budget. Actually, the smallest cuts from your day to day routine are often the ones that can save you money because they all add up over time.
Here are a few ways that you can start saving money to put towards home buying:
- Make your coffee at home instead of buying from coffee chains
- Brown bag your lunch instead of eating out/buying fast food
- See if you can commute to work instead of drive, saving money on gas
- Invite friends over instead of going out partying
- Become a grocery list shopper so you don’t buy more food than you need
Resolution #2: Firm up the credit score
Your credit score is one of the main foundation blocks of your mortgage application. To put it simply, the stronger your credit score, the better your mortgage could potentially be.
No matter what your credit score currently looks like, there is usually room for improvement. Improving and maintaining your credit score is vital in the lead up to buying your first home.
In order to maintain your credit score, start making a habit of these kinds of good credit practices:
- Record your spending
- Keep up with your debt payments
- Don’t go over your credit limit
- Use your credit card(s) responsibly
- Don’t make large purchases (i.e. new furniture, new vehicles, etc.)
Resolution #3: Decide what you need in a new home
This next resolution is figuring out what you need in a home. Here’s a basic list that can help you decide.
- # of bedrooms
- # of bathrooms (full and half)
- Square footage
- Location
- Neighborhood
- Schools
- Local traffic/Public transportation
Resolution #4: Get preapproved for a loan
Pre-approval (which is not the same as a commitment that is given once you select a specific property) is a vital, yet easy, step in the mortgage application process. A lender will pre-approve you for a loan based on official proof of items including (but not limited to):
- Your credit score
- Your income/finances
- Tax returns
- Job
- Current debts
Pre-approval may sound slightly scary, but it is something that is endlessly beneficial for new home buyers. Pre-approval gives you a stronger understanding of what you can afford for a home. It also shows the seller that you are a legitimate buyer.
Hartz Homes has worked with preferred lenders who have a strong track record in financing new construction homes and who can make the pre-approval process a breeze for first-time buyers. Click here for information on preferred lenders as well as helpful tools like a mortgage payment calculator.
Resolution #5: Find the builder that is right for you
Building a new home can be a long, complex process if you were going it alone. Fortunately, you do not have to. Hartz Homes is with you every step of the way. They are committed to outstanding, personalized service to make the process of selecting, designing and financing a new home an easy, hassle-free experience.
Since 1963, Hartz Homes has been the new home builder for generations of Chicago homeowners, with over 15,000 homes built in Chicagoland. The family-owned business is focused exclusively on the Chicagoland area, so this means they know what makes Chicago tick, and how to build great Chicago communities. Hartz single-family homes, townhomes and condominiums provide spaces for families to put down roots, explore their communities and live the lives they’ve always dreamed of.
Nearly every design element on a Hartz home is customizable or upgradable. They work with you closely, helping you personalize your options and even allowing you to make changes on-site if need be – whatever it takes to turn your house into your dream home.
Hartz Homes is founded on quality and is proud of its A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau. Every member of the Hartz team – including contractors and suppliers – is carefully chosen, fully vetted and able to meet our tough standards for integrity, judgment, creativity, initiative, courage and respect. You can trust that your new Hartz home will stand up to the demands of a life well lived.
Please check out these new home communities from Hartz Homes:
Armitage Pointe of Addison, Illinois (Chicago area new home construction)
Bella Vista Townhomes of Bolingbrook, Illinois (Chicago area new home construction)
Lago Vista of Lockport, Illinois (Chicago area new home construction)
Leigh Creek of New Lenox, Illinois (Chicago area new home construction)
Marquis Pointe of Montgomery, Illinois (Chicago area new home construction)
Marywood Meadows of Montgomery, Illinois (Chicago area new home construction)
Nantucket Lakes of New Lenox, Illinois (Chicago area new home construction)
Oliviabrook of Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois (Chicago area new home construction)
Park West of Manteno, Illinois (Chicago area new home construction)
Playa Vista of Plainfield, Illinois (Chicago area new home construction)
Shannon Estates of New Lenox, Illinois (Chicago area new home construction)
Sky Harbor of New Lenox, Illinois (Chicago area new home construction)
Whisper Creek of Mokena, Illinois (Chicago area new home construction)
Hartz Homes has new home communities in:
Addison, Illinois (Chicago area new home construction)
Aurora, Illinois (Chicago area new home construction)
Bolingbrook, Illinois (Chicago area new home construction)
Lockport, Illinois (Chicago area new home construction)
New Lenox (Chicago area new home construction)
Manteno, Illinois (Chicago area new home construction)
Mokena, Illinois (Chicago area new home construction)
Montgomery, Illinois (Chicago area new home construction)
Plainfield, Illinois (Chicago area new home construction)
Oakbrook Terrace (Chicago area new home construction)