I really want to buy a home...where do I start? pt. 1

I get asked this question a lot. My experience tells me that people have many different "places" to start. Here is my opinion of the home buying process...

1.) Pre-approval - this is the part that everyone dreads. You have to give very personal information to a complete stranger who then is going to tell you how much of a house you qualify to buy. The process is short and typically painless. You call a bank or a mortgage officer (by the way...I have plenty to refer you to if you don't know who to call), and tell them that you want to buy a house. They will ask for your income, credit information, etc...and tell you how much you can afford...usually folks decide how much they can afford by the payment.

2.) Get out and start looking - this is the fun part. You have an opportunity to view many homes (tons in fact...there are over 2,700 homes available in Corona, 1,000 in Lake Elsinore, 1,600 in Murrieta, and 1,300 in Temecula). The process can also become tedious and overwhelming because of the inventory. I recommend viewing 6-8 homes at a time...when you look at more than that...the homes tend to start blurring together (which house had the granite counter-tops, did this one have the slate kitchen, what did the loft look like in the house on Main St, etc...).

The Value of Financial Planning

1. A financial planner helps you keep track of - and make efficient - your financial affairs.

2. A financial planner helps create an organized, diversified portfolio, AND limits the dysfunctional emotional decisions that everybody makes with their own investments.

3. A financial planner helps you get into the habit of saving (investing) a portion of their income.

4. A financial planner helps you identify what is important in your life, and helps prioritize your goals.

5. A financial planner helps you turn a seemingly impossible goal into a routine that can be achieved.

6. A financial planner helps you bring the focus of your life from retirement to the present.