Feature Friday: Hulkonen Home Inspections | 5 Tips for First-Time Home Buyers!
This week we are excited to introduce you to Jason, the owner of Hulkonen Home Inspections! He is a licensed Michigan builder, an InterNACHI Certified Home Inspector, and just so happens to be Kendra's husband!
Hey guys! I never thought I'd be featured on a blog, but there's a first time for everything and I'm happy to be here! Growing up, I took a liking to construction and building pretty much anything, but I feel like it all kind of started as Kendra and I were searching for our first home. We quickly found that we had a lot to learn about the home buying process and the importance of having a home inspection.
We don't know the exact number of houses that we looked at (we think it's around 30), but the more we looked, the more I realized I was kind of inspecting them as we went and was really interested in learning more about becoming an inspector!
Fast forward to a few months later and countless hours of studying, classes, and exams, I got my certification and builders license! Neither of these are actually required in Michigan to perform inspection services, but I wanted to have the right knowledge to help others in their home buying process. I truly feel the best and most fulfilling part of my business is helping others in such an important and exciting time!
5 QUICK TIPS FOR FIRST-TIME HOME BUYERS:
- Get pre-approved for financing (if you're financing) - This will give you an idea of how much home you can afford, so you know what price range you're shopping in. A lot of times a pre-approval is needed to make an offer once you've found the right home as well.
- Be open-minded - It's easy to get caught up on the "pretty things," but your first home should be within your budget, well built and structurally sound, and safe. Another important thing to remember, you can fix and change a home, but you can't do much about the lot.
- Seek professional help (such as a realtor, home inspector, and a loan officer) - Buying a home is a big decision and finding people that you can trust to help you along the way will make the whole process a lot smoother!
- Be patient - To be honest, we lost count how many houses we actually looked at before buying our first home. We thought it was a never-ending process, but the right deal and the right house for you WILL come up at the right time!
- Try to do large projects before you move in - If you've got big dreams to renovate your new home after closing, pick the most invasive projects to complete before moving in (if you're able to!). Because who wants to paint an entire house full of furniture?!
To schedule an inspection or find out more about Hulkonen Home Inspections services, be sure to follow along on Facebook, Instagram, and check out www.hulkoneninspections.com!