Buying a Home · Straight answer from Kathleen
What is the first thing I should do if I want to buy a home?
Talk to a lender first, and a buyer's agent right alongside. Getting preapproved tells you your real budget, and an agent turns that budget into the right towns and homes. Both conversations are free; together they build the whole plan.
Also answered on this page
- Should I talk to a real estate agent or lender first?
The preapproval is the foundation: it tells you what you can actually afford, what your monthly payment looks like, and how your offer will be received. You will feel the difference when you make an offer with financing certainty behind it.
The agent comes next, or in parallel, to translate the budget into neighborhoods: which towns, which price tiers, what trade-offs matter, and how the local market works. We set up the search so your time is spent on homes that could actually be yours.
If you are starting from zero, that is fine. The first step is just making the call.
On the North Shore
On the North Shore, affordability varies sharply by town, so your budget plus your lifestyle wants determines the search: commuter access, beach access, village life, or room to grow.
Still wondering
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Buying a Home
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