How to Buy Real Estate in Raleigh, North Carolina

Raleigh, North Carolina is a great place to live. With a population of under 400,000 it is big enough to be a thriving city and small enough to be a home town. Raleigh, North Carolina is a good place to look for jobs in the technology industry. Housing prices range from about $40,000 for a small condo to $10,000,000 and more for a mini estate, so there is real estate for everyone in Raleigh North Carolina. It is also the home of North Carolina State University.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• List of what is most important for you to find in your new home in Raleigh, North Carolina.
• Camera. If it is allowed,take pictures of the real estate you look at. It will help you to choose between the houses you look at
• Notebook. Write down everything you think is important. You will be looking at a lot of real estate and it is hard to remember what you saw in which home.

Real Estate in Raleigh North Carolina

1. Determine your real estate budget. It is better to start with a small house in your price range and trade up in the future than to take on more than you can handle. Get pre-qualified if possible. It will be much easier to figure out your budget.

2. Pick the perfect Raleigh North Carolina neighborhood for you. If you want to be in the middle of all the action, where you can walk to just about anything, consider Boylan Heights. It is a neighborhood of stately Victorian colonials and cottages. There are newer planned communities in Raleigh North Carolina also such as the Bluffs of Kildaire which is a neighborhood of just over 30 homes that range in price from about $250,000 to $400,000 and Graystone, which has all types of real estate including a retirement community.

3. Explore the Raleigh North Carolina neighborhoods that appeal to you the most. Raleigh has an excellent transportation system and you need to decided just how close to transportation you want to be. Also check out the schools and see how close you want to be to them. This way, you can really narrow your real estate target area in each neighborhood.

4. Decide which is more important, the neighborhood or the type of house. If you are looking in a neighborhood where most of the real estate is in your price range or lower, this will not be a concern, but if you are looking in a neighborhood where a good percentage are at the higher end of your budget and more, then you may have to compromise on what you buy. For instance, a smaller house or a co-op or condo. Raleigh has a good selection of co-ops and condos available and one might be the perfect first home.

5. Think about purchasing a two family or multi family house if you feel you need the extra income. In Raleigh North Carolina, a two family home is not that plentiful when compared to single family homes, but they do come in all sizes priced from less than $100,000 to over $1,000,000.

6. Find a real estate agent. Now that you know the neighborhoods that have the type of home you want at the price you can afford, see a real estate agent who is familiar with the area and is located near the area you want. He will have a better knowledge of what the best home will be than one who does not deal with the area as much.

Tips & Warnings

• Be flexible. It is very rare to find everything you are looking or in a home.
• Make a list of what you are looking for in the order of importance. It will make it easier to decide which is the best real estate property for you.
• Make sure you have in the contract that the sale is subject to an inspection.

[PattyOh]

on 3/9/2008 40k? Pack my bags, I'm on my way !!!