| Your
Realtor: Virtual Real Estate Store |
August
2001
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All Rights Reserved. |
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Don't Let Energy Costs Freeze Homeownership Chances 
Tick.
Tick. Tick. It's the sound of your power and light bill noisily
rising each month. While increasing energy costs are problematic
for us all, they're especially tough for those with fixed incomes
and few discretionary dollars.The good news is that energy costs need not sink ownership dreams. There are steps you can take to hold down fuel bills, including three big ones: Purchase an energy-efficient home. Many first-time buyers gravitate to new construction since buyers assume such homes more readily meet energy-efficient guidelines. But don't overlook resale homes that have been upgraded and/or remodeled. Ask for copies of utility bills for the past year to gauge how existing homes compare with other properties of similar age, size and construction. 
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To
lock an interest rate or not lock, that -- with
apologies to Shakespeare -- is the question.
Each
year more than 40 percent of all homes are purchased by
first-time buyers according to the National Association of
Realtors, a percentage which should offer some comfort if
you're about to buy a first home. Others have done it,
others are doing it, and you can too.
Closing
is the moment when all parts of a real estate transaction
come together. But what may surprise buyers is that even
at closing you may need still-more paperwork.