Thinking of moving to Little Rock or relocating in the city? This guide is for you. While aimed at first time home buyers, the links are helpful for all levels of home buyer. Buying real estate in Arkansas is made easier by all the great resources on the Internet.
Find a Neighborhood
Little Rock and North Little Rock have a lot to offer. We have upscale neighborhoods, historic neighborhoods, family friendly areas, areas for walkers and nature lovers. . . Deciding where to look is your first major decision when searching for a piece Arkansas real estate to call your next home.
Think About Other Cities
Not only does Little Rock have a lot to offer, we're close to a few cities where you can probably get more for your money. Benton, Bryant, Sherwood and Maumelle are all close enough to commute to Little Rock for work everyday.
Search the MLS
My favorite place to search the MLS is Crye-Leike, because they seem to have the most. Remax is pretty good too. Zillow is a great resource once you find a house you like. They can tell you what nearby houses have sold for, how long it's been on the market and it's past sales price (a REALTOR could tell you the same thing, but it's nice to have the info at your fingertips). A similar resource to Zillow is Trulia.com.
Contact a Realtor
A REALTOR can really help if you're looking for a house. An experienced REALTOR can guide you pricing, neighborhoods, processes and more. No one knows more about trends in Arkansas real estate like a REALTOR. For a buyer, there's no reason not to hire a REALTOR. The best place to find a REALTOR is to ask your friends who are happy with their home purchases.
Do Some Research
Investigate the house you want to buy. A REALTOR can get information about utility bills for you, or you can ask yourself. Talk to the neighbors. Do a record search with the Assessor’s Office. You can also search records with the City Clerk. A good idea is to check the sex offender database and see if anything pops up in the area.
Get a Loan
Getting a loan and pre-approval for a loan is another step in buying your home. You can go to a national or local bank. Your REALTOR can help direct you, but I've linked to some tips from our home buying guide.
Consider Building
If you cannot find your dream house, consider building one. Building a house can be a rewarding, but stressful experience. Check out these Arkansas builders and suppliers.
