For my clients who are new to the home buying process I always recommend attending a home buying workshop or seminar. In fact, I regularly attend these workshops or seminars myself. I find that no matter how often I attend one I usually learn something new. Besides, these events are excellent networking opportunities where you often find bank representatives or loan officers, real estate salespeople or brokers, and a wealth of organizations or programs whose mission and purpose is to assist the buyer with the process of purchasing a home.

I’m a firm believer that an educated consumer is the best consumer. Attending these events can prepare a buyer for what to expect from the various professionals that they will either hire or interact with during the process of purchasing a home. You will get a feel for the roles and responsibilities of these professionals. There is also a financial literacy aspect to the workshops that will help individuals understand home ownership in the broader context of financial planning. Money management, understanding credit and affordability, qualifying for a mortgage and the types of loans and down payment assistance programs available are just some of the topics typically discussed.

By attending home buyer seminars you will learn that you will need a team of dedicated professionals that are armed with the expertise and knowledge to help guide you from the beginning of your home buying process to the day you close on your home.

You may be wondering what types of professionals you will need on your team. Here is a brief list:

  • Real Estate Agent
  • Loan Officer
  • Home Inspector
  • Lawyer
  • Accountant or Financial Planner

I found this link http://www.mercerhrs.com/microsite/dowjones/oe/pdfs/citi_seminar.pdf to a home buying seminar deck online and while I am by no means promoting one bank over another I did find it to be quite informative, I hope you do too!