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After waiting for years, first-time homebuyers made 38 percent of all U.S. single family home purchases last year – the largest share since 2000 – and bought 2.07 million houses new or existing – 7 percent more than 2016 Bloomberg.com reported.

“Pent-up demand”According to the news site, Millennials are one of the driving factors.

The market for newbies in house hunting has changed significantly from the peak mark nearly two decades ago. You already know the truth: “Forewarned is forearmed.”Continue reading.

* Inventory is tight.

It is so tight, in fact, especially for starter-homes at lower prices, that the Wall Street Journal said, “even more.” “buyers in historically calm markets such as Boise, Idaho, and Minneapolis are facing bidding wars, prompting them to dig deep into their coffers to win deals.”

You’re not interested in bidding wars? There’s always Little Rock in Arkansas.

LendingTree has named San Francisco, Seattle and Denver the “other” cities. “most challenging”Cities in the country for first-time buyers – Little Rock was rated as a paradise for house hunters.

* There’s still a lot of all-cash buyers out there, so don’t be afraid to get creative.

Although the total number of all cash transactions peaked at 40% in 2011 and 2012, savvy investors are still taking advantage the subprime mortgage crisis to buy up many homes that will be rented out. Last year’s 28.8% figure is above the normal. The tight inventory could be due to one reason: “Investors (are) making too much money as landlords to sell,”MarketWatch.com.

Even if you are pre-approved for mortgage financing, it is still a disadvantage to have $500,000 of cash available to you. HDTV.com shares the story of a couple that got a “great deal”Their Denver home, yes Denver, was added to their $300,000.00 bidding. It included a contingency that they would pay $1,000 over any other offer, up to a maximum price of $329,000.

“Although unconventional,”The site was accepted “a creative strategy like this can be very effective in today’s market.”

* Don’t automatically reject a fixer-upper because you’re not handy enough to fix things like the roof.

While everyone knows that you can save money by purchasing a house in need of work, some tasks, such as electrical system overhauls or extensive roof repairs, are better left to professionals. Now the question is, how much ahead would you be financially if those costs are deducted from the expected post-renovation house value?

“An attractive roof is the ultimate curb enhancer, so it’s important to figure that into your calculations,”Patsy O’Neill is a Sotheby’s Montclair sales associate.

Use the free tool to experiment with different looks (e.g., Victorian vs. Ranch). Virtual Home RemodelerGAF (gaf.com), North America’s biggest roofing manufacturer, launched the site. And the website’s GAF Master Elite Contractor databaseWe can help you locate the most trustworthy and fully insured professionals in your locality.

* You may be being watched.

Literally.

Owners are becoming more wary of strangers entering their homes and using devices to track potential buyers’ actions and conversations.

Yes, it is creepy. MarketWatch.com pointed out that the bigger danger isn’t if you don’t pay attention to what you’re saying. “a real risk”You risk tipping your hands too much and end up paying more.