House Hunters: How to Find a Hidden Gem (and Not a Money Pit!)

Looking to buy a house you can comfortably afford? Today we're going over how you can find a hidden gem and not a money pit! 

How to Find and Buy a House You Can Afford

I don't know how things are in your area, but here in the Triangle, the housing market is hot. Prices have shot up. The median price of homes currently listed in Raleigh is $379,000. 

To give you some context, a townhouse on our street went for more than double what we paid for our single-family house a few years ago.

Just the other week, I caught a story on the local news about how unaffordable the Raleigh Durham area is getting.  If you want to buy a house you have to be a savvy house hunter. 

Now you may have heard that you can snag a deal with a fixer-upper, but how do you know which houses are diamonds in the rough and which ones are money pits?  

If you're thinking of or are planning on buying a house soon, you may be facing these same questions and challenges. That's why I'm pulling from the archives my interview with

 Louis Guillama. 

He's the Vice President of Real Estate Operations over at Coastal Credit Union. He has decades of experience with the real estate agent side as well as home renovations. 

In this episode, we're going to discuss:

• the differences between buying new construction versus resale 
• spotting great (and still affordable) neighborhoods, and then 
• finding a fixer-upper instead of a money pit

We have so much to cover, so let's get started! 

Resources on Buying a House

If you're looking to buy, here are some resources to help you find an affordable place you love!

• Best Budget and Money Apps: Personal Capital, Tiller, Mint
• Grow Your Stash Faster: High Yield Savings with CiT Bank
• Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money
• My friend was about to buy a million-dollar house with no research
• What You Need to Know About Mortgages
• Buying a Home: From Contemplation to Closing

Thank You to Our Sponsor Coastal!

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