Net Equity Realty
Mike and Jill Kohler

Interactive
MAP SEARCH

Use our Interactive Map Search tool to view properties directly on the map. Easily view listings in your favorite neighborhoods.

Search

New Listings
EMAIL ALERTS

Get alerts of new properties meeting your search criteria delivered right to your inbox. It's FREE and you can cancel at anytime.

Sign Up

What's Your
HOME WORTH?

Are you thinking of selling your home? Get a free evaluation and market analysis of your home with absolutely no obligation.

Get Valuation
 

Top Pa Home Buying Tips 

Take a thorough inventory of your finances
Buying a home is a major undertaking requiring a certain amount of diligent preparation. Start by speaking with your lender and accountant to see how and what you can do to better qualify for the best mortgage.  A professional lender will your run your credit bureaus and make suggestions as to what steps you might improve in the next 6 to 12 months to better qualify for the loan you make be taking out to purchase your new home. 

 

Determine a budget to live within your means
There are a lot of decisions to be made at this point. Just because your lender says you can afford  "x"  amount per month doesn’t necessarily mean you should necessarily spend that much.  This is where an honest assessment of how you want to live comes into play. Should you stretch for the house with the inground pool for the extra $50,000 or $400 a month, or will that leave you “house poor?”  What other expenses can you foresee in the future?  What kind of shape is your car in? Will you be replacing it soon?  Again, a financial professional can help you examine these decisions and a number of others before you commit to sign on the dotted line.


Plan on keeping the home you are buying for at least a few years
Back when properties were “appreciating” at double digit rates, buying a house and selling up to trade up a couple of years later seems very easy. Now that the market has been declining the last few years, you may really take a financial hit if you are buying now and then want (or need) to sell in the first couple of years.  If you’ve taken out a 30 year mortgage, chances are that not a lot of principal has come off the loan yet, and that, combined with fix up costs to sell, transfer taxes, seller paid commissions and concessions may leave you with much less than you thought.

 

Consider the school district where you are planning on buying
Schools are often a very top priority for buyers who have children and also younger couples who may be starting a family soon.  Sometimes it may be worth buying in a better district and paying more.  Do properties in the district you are looking tend to hold their value more? Are you planning on using public schools or will you be sending your children to a private school are just a couple of important buying decisions. Consider your options carefully. 

Use the services of reputable professionals in your area
It’s fun to look at properties on the internet and it’s a great place to start. However when you begin to get serious about buying, seek out the services of a professional buyers agent. A professional buying (or buyers) agent knows their market and can save you tons of time. Their goal is to find you homes that fulfill your wants and needs and help you narrow it down to the best house. The buyers agent deals with real estate transactions, inspectors, lenders, and other agents all the time. They can help you structure the right offer, negotiate with the seller, set up inspections, tend to things when you are busy, help you avoid pitfalls and a host of others.  Not to mention that it usually ends up costing you the buyer no extra to use one since usually the seller pays the commission. 

   

Get an actual pre-approval from a lender
Having a lender issue you a preapproval letter will usually put you in a solid position when making an offer. Generally speaking, If you’ve gone through the process of obtaining a pre-approval, the seller has a pretty good idea that you are making a serious offer you intend to follow through on, and that you have the means to do so are and not just “kicking the tires. Lender pre approvals are based on your actual income, debt and credit history which is much different that a pre qualification which is just basically a simple review of your finances scored by some basic lending ratios.  


Understand the marketplace you are shopping in
On our Pa Real Estate for sale website, you will find a plethora of searchable information that will help you better understand the market you wish to buy in.  That information will be helpful in many of your decisions. Pay attention to the sales trends in your area. Look at the last 6 to 9 months sales. What percent below the asking price are homes selling for. Take that heavily into account in your bid to buy.  Is the home you are looking at priced right already?  Is the seller pricing it for less because the bathrooms need work? Ask questions, read the listing and compare the market.   You want to buy your house at a good price, but not lose it to another more serious buyer. Be flexible and consider all the factors in your negotiations. This is one area where a professional agent can really help you make the best decisions.

Home inspectors are usually worth the money you spend
You are spending a lot of money to buy a home. Using the services of home inspector is a wise idea to find out the condition of the home you are planning to buy. A trained inspector will be able to spot defects and alert  you to them. The report itself may help you in your negotiations. But additionally, you’ll have a written report as to the condition of most every item or system in your new home so you can plan a replacement schedule and adjust your budget accordingly.  A home inspection can run anywhere between $375 to $650 depending upon size, area, and the scope of the inspection. Think of it as a cheap insurance policy.

Give us a call today and watch us go to work for you. You'll be happy you did! Call today at 
1-215-741-3131
Info@PaRealEstateForSale.com

Click to see our reviews



Mike and Jill Kohler

Helpful Links
First Time Home Buyers Info
Buying a home with 1% Down
Get an FHA Loan


For more information:



LevittownLanghorneBensalemFairless HillsNewtownYardleyBristolUpper MakefieldRichboroNew HopeLower Southampton, Feasterville-TrevoseWashington CrossingHollandMorrisvilleWarminster
  



 

Home Purchase Qualifier

Search New Homes
free preapproval
search for a home
featured properties communities
home buyer tips
get prequalified

search for a home
search for homes
search for a home
 

home value request
home value request
 

free pre approval

get prequalified
 

Calculator

 
 

Quick Search

$
$
 

Contact Me

 

Navigation

 

What my clients are saying  

PLEASE TAKE A MOMENT TO READ OUR REVIEWS BELOW FROM OUR SATISFIED BUCKS COUNTY, PA REAL ESTATE AND MORTGAGE CLIENTS!

 

~ 2022

Michael is very genuine & honest . He goes the extra mile & always has your best interest in mind . If i have any additional lending or Realtor needs , Michael will be my first choice !

 

~ M. Jones, Morrisville Pa

Jill was very knowledgeable and helpful during my first home buying. She answered any questions or concerns I had. She was able to walk me through the process from beginning to end and he never rushed or pressured me to make a decision on the house. I would highly recommend using Jill as a real estate agent

 

~ Denise L, Bensalem Pa

Jill Kohler is remarkable. Not only did she do her job she went above and beyond to help us with refinancing our home and that in itself was a huge project. Unlike many others she stuck with us and helped us every step of the way to refinance our home. SHE IS DEFINITELY TOP NOTCH IN OUR BOOK! We really can't thank her and her associates enough

 

~ Jen Biddle, Levittown Pa

Mike assisted me with financing the purchase of a condo. From beginning to end he was very responsive to my needs, extremely knowledgeable and helpful about the real estate market and just a pleasure to work with in general. He anticipated and communicated each step in the process of mortgage financing and made it easy for me to understand and qualify for a mortgage. I would work with him again in a heart beat and strongly recommend them to anyone shopping for real estate or a mortgage. Thanks Mike!

 

~ Bob M, Yardley Pa

Jill is a great person to work with. We refinanced our mortgage and Jill was very persistent on getting everything done. The entire process took about 5 weeks from beginning to end. She knows her stuff and answered any questions we had. I would highly recommend working with her.

 

~ Dawn S, Fairless Hills, Pa

Jill was awesome to work with. She told us what we needed up front things went as smooth as possible. Jill would always keep us in the loop never a guessing game. Thank you so much.

 

~ Frank B, Langhorne Pa

Mike and Jill Kohler are the ultimate professionals in the real estate world. Mike and Jill guided us through the entire home-buying process from beginning our search, to understanding our price range (based on credit and income), to finding houses for us, to scheduling walk-throughs and taking us to the houses (sometimes 6 or 7 in a night), to evaluating the properties (to ensure it is worth what they were asking), to making the offer, to finding the best mortgage rate and walking us through the mounds of paperwork, and helping us through all the inspections and requirements that lead to settlement. Buying a house is not an easy process and Mike and Jill Kohler made it as simple and pain-free as anybody could and we could not have asked for a better team!!

 

~ Jim & Wendy, Bensalem Pa

Mike is a very personable, trustworthy professional. I have worked with him in several capacities over the past 20 years and have appreciated his professionalism, confidence and overall good nature.

 

~ Bill D, Langhorne Pa

I have talk to Mike several time for advise and he was honest and very knowledgeable on my situations. I would recommend him because he walks you through without making you feel confused.

 

~ M Deon, Yardley Pa

I was a first time buyer and Jill made it as easy as can be. It was overwhelming but she guided us through to the best of her abilities. Her honesty was key and made me feel very comfortable. The process of buying a home was all brand new to me and without her guidance I would have been lost. She was very professional and new all about the information I had questions with. I would recommend her to anybody when buying a home.

 

~ Anthony B, Levittown Pa

I have worked with Mike on several occasions. Both with helping to finance my primary residence, but also to seek advice on refinancing, and the possibility of purchasing other properties. I have always enjoyed working with Mike and he has become a trusted advisor. I highly recommend him!

 

~ John K, Upper Makefield, Pa

The entire process of buying a house, even when you've done your research as I had done, can be unavoidably frustrating and nerve wracking. Jill was there to walk us through every stage, from the agreement of sale, to building inspection, repair requests, to final walk-through, to settlement day. Being a person who does everything in advance, Jill was there to calm me down when I was frustrated by sellers who were, in my eyes, slow to respond. She was continuously an integral part of the process, always pushing the sellers and their agent for the information we needed. Having met 3 other real estate agents in the past, I can say undoubtedly that if you want to find a house that meets your needs, that Jill Kohler is the best person for the job. She's more concerned about your needs as a buyer, than trying to pressure you into buying something you don't quite want.

 

~ Jimmy Mac, Levittown Pa

Jill, I cannot thank you enough for all of your hard work. You listened to what I wanted. We worked out a plan and were able to accomplish my goals. You made the process simplier than I could have imagined. And the communication was amazing. I will definitely refer you to my friends and family. Thank you for everything.

 

~ Wendy W, Langhorne, Pa

Jill was truly a godsend! She helped us sell my elderly in-law's home, which wasn't easy since we live an hour from the property. No task was too big or small to help us sell in a timely manner. Jill had a strong grasp of local real estate markets, and helped us price and market the property quickly. She also kept an eye on the house in our absence, and kept us informed every step of the way. We simply can't recommend Jill more highly!

 

~ S Fiorentino, Langhorne Pa

Jill and her husband helped me through a very tough time selling my mother's home. Being a good real estate agent is a great thing and they both were but it is even better when they really support you through it as well. I would highly recommend them.

 

~ Chris S, Langhorne Pa

We were lucky to find Jill. We had a house floundering on the market (as plenty were at the time) and decided to change realtors. We gave Jill a call. She gave us great advice on staging and even provided us with some of her own things to help with the staging process. She took great photos of our home and we had the house sold a short time later. My husband calls both Jill and Mike with questions about real estate and they are very knowledgeable and always available to us and we really appreciate it! I would recommend Jill Kohler to anyone looking to buy/sell a property.

 

~ Joann O, Levittown Pa

Jill did a great job understanding exactly what I was looking for. She arranged a full day to see numerous properties that met my requirements. We found the perfect property the first day that we started looking.

 

~ Tim K, Yardley Pa

More Reviews

Want to Know How Much Your Home is Worth?

Get Your FREE Home Market Analysis Report Right Now!

YES, SHOW ME NOW