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If you’re a first-time home buyer with a new year’s resolution to purchase your very first home, you’ve found a great place to start the journey! Bill Clark Homes has been building long-lasting, charming homes and neighborhoods throughout North Carolina since 1977—and we’re proud to work with home buyers of all ages and stages of life. Although the process can seem daunting, we’ve detailed out a few tips and things to know that can prepare you for what’s ahead. 

Know how much home you can afford

It’s no surprise that purchasing a home is a huge investment, often the biggest that people will make in their lives. As a first-time home buyer, this can feel especially intimidating. A mortgage lending professional will help you get pre-qualified for your home, and give you a safe price range to stay in when house hunting.  

If you think you can’t afford to buy a home because you’ve always been told the ideal down payment is 20%, we have some good news: you can purchase a home with a down payment as low as 3% of the purchase price, thanks to national and state first-time home buyer programs. Your lender can help you figure out exactly what you should put down based on your available assets and other expenses. 

In addition to your down payment, buyers will also need money to cover the closing costs, which are typically about 3% of the purchase price. However, this amount varies depending on each homeowner’s financial situation and the home they are purchasing. Buying a new construction home means you don’t have to worry about throwing additional money toward unseen problems with the foundation and plumbing or visible issues like an outdated kitchen. Learn more about how a new home is a good investment in our separate blog post.

Find your ideal location 

Selecting the right town to buy a home in can be dependent on a variety of factors: where you work, nearby attractions, family connections, school districts and more. Once you’ve found the town where you want to purchase your first home, search for a new home community that meets your needs and wants. 

Bill Clark Homes puts an emphasis on developing communities that you’ll be proud to live in—from location and amenities to curb appeal and superior home style, we take great pride in what we build and our homeowners appreciate it. If you’re looking to move to Wilmington, New Bern or Greenville, you can browse our beautiful communities now. 

Select your preferred home style and layout 

As with anyone in the market to buy a new home, you’ll probably have a checklist of features and specifications you’ll hope to see. The number of bedrooms, bathrooms, the inclusion of bonus rooms like home offices or formal dining rooms, granite countertops, hardwood floors and more. Whether you choose to buy one of our completed or partially completed new-construction homes or design the home with us from the ground up, a Bill Clark home will check off many—if not all—items on your wishlist. 

Work with a trusted home builder

As a first-time home buyer, we want your experience to be a positive one. When you work with a trusted builder who is known for quality and craftsmanship, you can rest assured that your home will be built to last and meet your expectations. Review our questions to ask home builders when preparing to interview your potential partner.

Ready to talk to us about your potential future home or neighborhood? Contact us today to get started!