Buying a home is a huge investment so you don't want to commit yourself to it without doing your homework. Since you will likely be financing the property you want to get the very best possible price for it. Money generally talks though so taking the time to get your loan pre-approved means the seller will be more likely to accept your offer. This is better than waiting for a higher offer but not knowing if the person will be approved or not.
Getting pre-approved is more in depth than getting pre-qualified. This process means you have been approved for a specific loan amount on a home. All of the background checks and financial verifications have already been done. All that would remain to be done is for both parties to accept the offer and for an inspection of the home to be completed.
Find out what other properties in the area have sold for on the market recently to get a good idea of what you should offer for it. You can also check public records at the county clerk's office to find out what they deem the property to be worth. You can either purchase a home from a private seller or through a real estate agent.
It is harder to buy a home through a private seller because you have to do all the negotiating on your own. You also have to be very knowledgeable of the material in your contract to ensure you are getting what you think you are getting. Most people are much more comfortable buying a home through a real estate agent.
However, many owners that sell their homes privately are able to offer you a lower price because they don't have to cover the fees of the realtor. You can have someone in the legal field or a real estate agent read over the materials for you for a low fee to verify everything is accurate.
Homes that are in foreclosure are generally sold at an auction for what is owed on them. This is done so the lender can get the money that is due to them. You will need to have a line of credit or loan money in place as you will need a percentage of the money down at the time of the auction. You will need to have the home inspected as well to make sure you are getting a great price on the home.
