Thinking about buying a home? The process can seem difficult and stressful, especially if you don’t know where to begin. To help ease the confusion that comes with first-time home buying, here are a few tips as you start the process.
Get pre-approved for a mortgage. The first thing you’ll want to know is how much “home” you can afford. Thankfully, knowing your budget for buying a home can be easily determined by getting pre-approval for a mortgage from Lennar’s in-house lender Eagle Home Mortgage or a loan provider of your choice. Lenders will determine how much your household can afford based on several factors, such as income, credit score and any existing debt, savings or properties. As you determine your budget, make sure you leave room for the costs of property taxes, homeowner’s insurance and any other monthly fees.
As you talk with lenders, ask about interest rates, closing costs, and any additional fees, and shop around or get multiple quotes to get the best deal.
Think about the best location for you and your family. When looking to buy a home, buyers often look in areas near their work or their children’s school, or they focus on an area that they simply want to live in. Determine a location that you’re interested in, and begin looking for houses in your budget. Work with a real estate professional that knows the immediate area to learn about such things as schools, taxes, traffic patterns, and nearby restaurants and retailers – everything that would be important to you if you lived there.
Lennar has 60 communities in the Tampa Bay area that appeal to a variety of homebuyers – from roomy homes in suburban areas to modern townhomes in more urban areas. Depending on your daily needs, our communities are conveniently located near retail and grocery stores, major highways, and entertainment.
Explore all of Lennar’s Tampa Bay communities on this interactive map and see which location best fits your needs.
Choose the right floorplan. Do you travel a lot for work and want to keep things simple at home, or do you prefer a productive work space in your home? Do you need a room for entertaining? How many family members will be living in your home? These are all factors to consider when choosing a floorplan.
Lennar has floorplans that appeal to every type of family, from cozy two-bedroom townhomes to spacious six-bedroom homes or six-bedroom multigenerational homes.
Consider upfront expenses. There are usually some upfront costs when you buy a new home, such as buying furniture or creating landscaping for the yard. With Lennar’s “Everything Included” program, a number of upgraded features are included in the list price to reduce upfront costs for buyers.
Homes come move-in ready with everything from a large-capacity washer and dryer to 2-inch designer blinds on all the windows. Each new Lennar home also comes with professional front yard landscaping and irrigation, a full set of GE® ENERGY STAR® appliances, elegant finishes such as raised panel interior doors with satin nickel hardware, and marble windowsills.
Your perfect home is only a few steps away. See Lennar’s full inventory of homes in Tampa Bay at LennarTampa.com.
