Thinking of Buying Your First Home in the Hudson Valley? Do Your Research

Beware the pitfalls of home buying.

I made it a life goal to purchase my own home. I did so almost four years ago when I purchased a home within the city limits of Poughkeepsie, NY. There is always a certain level of risk but the process didn’t feel overwhelming and I was confidant in my choice before signing the dotted line.

My home is over 60 years old but there is very little wrong with the house that I wasn’t made aware of before making my purchase. This was not the case for one woman in The Town of Newburgh.

According to an article by The Times Herald Record, a woman purchased a home without being informed of the massive flaws in its construction. The flaws were so bad that the house itself is uninhabitable. Unfortunately for her, the house and mortgage are still legally her responsibility.

My advice to ALL future homebuyers is DO YOUR RESEARCH. Talk to trusted friends and close family members who own a home and get their recommendations on all the people you hire.

Most first-time home buyers will need a realtor, lawyer, home inspector and mortgage broker. While the realtor and broker make their money off the sale of the house, your lawyer and home inspector fees come out of your pocket. If they fail to do their job properly it could end up costing you dearly.