Spring into action this Spring – 6 steps to buying the perfect home

Spring is one of the best seasons to buy a home. The weather is warming and the positive shift in weather is prompting people to come out of their winter hibernation and start the search for their next home. If you are on the hunt for a new house this spring, take a look at these six steps to guide you on your buying journey to the perfect home.

1. Determine your budget and must-haves

The first step before you begin the house hunt is to solidify your budget, what you can afford, and your must-haves for your next home. It’s important to be realistic about your budget and expectations. While you may want a waterfront property or a four-bedroom home in the neighbourhood of your choice your budget may not allow it. The best home to buy is the one you can afford!

2. Get your credit in order

If you require a bond when buying a house, then a large factor in qualifying for your bond will be your personal credit score. While other factors like debt-to-income ratio and gross household income contribute to your chances of getting a loan, your credit score will directly affect your application, the interest rate, and whether you are required to put down a deposit. If your credit score is low, you will need to work on improving your score by paying your debts and obligations on time, and reducing your overall debt. The higher your credit score, the better your chances of getting the bond application approved.

3. Don’t forget about the transfer costs

While you wait for the warm weather to arrive, start stockpiling additional money that can be used to settle the transfer and bond registration costs. Paying a deposit towards the purchase price has many advantages, and can secure you better loan terms, but you must remember to make provision for the costs involved in buying a house and registering a bond.

4. Find a Real Estate Agent

While there are no requirements to purchase a home through a Real Estate Agent, working with an experienced agent can make the homebuying process far easier and less stressful. A quality agent will help with the property viewing process, narrowing down the best properties that meet your budget and homebuying requirements, as well as negotiating price and terms between you and the seller.

If you don’t already have a good agent to work with, ask for referrals from friends or colleagues to see if they can recommend a good agent. It’s also helpful to find an agent who has expertise and experience in your area or price range.

5. Line up your home loan

Once your credit score, down payment, and your agent is in place, go to WeApply to start your home loan journey, supported by a team of home loan experts. WeApply can help you get started with a pre-qualification certificate, which will determine what you can actually afford based on your income, expenses and credit score. Having a pre-qualification certificate can also increase the strength of an offer — especially in a competitive market — because it shows that you are a qualified buyer who has the means to purchase property.

WeApply will then take you through an online home loan application process, powered by innovative technology that empowers you the buyer to take control of your loan application.

6. Search for that perfect home

You are now ready, so be disciplined while searching for your perfect home in your perfect price range.

More About WeApply

Welcome to WeApply, the 21st century answer to home loan solutions!

WeApply is an innovative, tech-savvy, online home loan application solution created by ex-bankers, home loan software developers and experienced home loan specialists.  This group of consummate professionals believed that the existing process was confusing and outdated, so a new model was needed to make the process for clients simple, easy and above all, understandable.

There is no better feeling than becoming a homeowner. In so much, the journey to that ownership should be just as exciting and shouldn’t be paved with hurdles. 

As South Africa’s premier fully-digital home loan provider, WeApply harnesses the power of technology to make fast lending decisions via a digital, seamless and transparent portal the best way to deliver quicker answers and an improved user experience.

WeApply is the quintessential fast, free and straightforward home loan experience that has innovated technology and simplicity into an industry that has up to this point had very little. It’s a sleek and modern platform that uses clean data and automation, that offers a simple and honest solution to apply for the best home loan available.

For more information visit weapply.co.za