Are You Ready For Condo Ownership?
Owning a Condo may be your dream, but in order for the purchase to be the happy and satisfying experience it was meant to be, you need to ensure that you understand what to expect. I have owned many Lake condos over the years, my experience as an agent AND more importantly as a condo owner can prove to be invaluable to you. Condo ownership is just a little different than home ownership, but the advantages greatly outweigh the few disadvantages.
Are you ready to buy?
Owning your own Condo is a less expensive way to get on the water, and it also affords you more time to enjoy the Lake when you get here. The maintenance, lawn, landscaping, gutter cleaning, road and driveway maintenance is all handled by the association. You can unload the groceries, put on your bathing suit, and go start the boat! The boat dock insurance, reserves, and maintenance are all shared and basically you get a "group rate" for those items.
How much can you afford?
Condo financing is pretty straightforward for the lenders that do it often. Your bank back home may have done a great job on your home purchase, or even a recent refi, but believe me when I say if they don't do a lot of condo loans, they will struggle to get the loan done properly and in a timely matter. The many lenders at the Lake of the Ozarks love to finance condos, and they are just as competitive and get the same rates as any other banks. I can't stress this enough. If you want a smooth, trouble free closing, use a local lender. Use a local lender. Please -- use a local lender!
I Can Help
You need a good agent who will work hard for you. I am dedicated to helping you find the right condo, at the best price. I want you to find the condo that will make you happy and successful in real estate ownership. Condo sales are my specialty. Most agents sell a few condos a year, and I'd estimate 95% of Lake agents have never owned a condo. Use a Condo Expert to make sure you get the best deal, the easiest closing, and the right condo for you, with the least about of confusion and hassle.
When you hire us to help you buy your first condo, I want to know what you want and how much you can afford. Then we'll find a way to merge these two priorities and find a residence that you'll enjoy owning.
Keep your objectives in mind when visiting a condo. Keep a list handy of the features that you need and want in a condo, and judge each one by the list instead of by details that could distract you from your goal. When you're alone with your agent, you can go over the pros and cons of each condo.
Make the offer. This can be a maze of "buyer", "seller", "earnest deposit", and "title insurance". I'll be happy to prepare the paperwork and go through it with you before submitting it. This is where my 23 years of writing offers can really come in handy.
Get all necessary inspections done. An inspector will check for faulty wiring, heat and air issues, make sure appliances work, and a few other items that may be unique to your unit. This is a crucial part of the purchase. Not getting an inspection done means that you could be stuck with a expensive problem later. You will want that money for a new personal water craft next summer, right? Inspections will cost a few hundred dollars, but again, this is more than worth it in the end. There are several inspectors in the area that I can recommend.
Do a final walkthrough before closing the deal. I'll be insistant that you and I do this to make sure that everything agreed upon is completed prior to the final signing.
From the first interview that determines your requirements to the moment that you receive the keys, I can help you with the complicated process of buying a condo. Don't hesitate to contact me to find out more about how we can make the condo buying process easier! 573-480-6420
