Finding Housing in Williston | Video

Chris Williams | 2/22/2013

Now that the boom has been here for several years, more workers are starting to make the move to Williston a permanent one. Finding single family housing in Williston can be a challenge, but there are a few things potential buyers can do to make the experience much easier.

There aren`t an overload of houses for sale in Williston, but if you`re looking to buy one, there are a few choices. "We have 53 properties for sale in Williston, and that`s probably within a 3-5 mile radius, which includes West Acres, Dapple Grey, Highland Heights. The whole surrounding area townships let`s say, including the city of Williston,” said Basin Broker real estate agent Tate Cymbaluk.

Cymbaluk says once you factor in homes for sale by owner and developers who sell their own houses, there are between 125-150 homes for sale. To help the buying process, Cymbaluk says there is one important step that should be done before you even start looking for potential homes.

"The first thing I would tell them to do is let`s get you to a local bank, or a local lending institution to find out what you can afford within your budget and your income, that’s the first most important thing we can do.”

A loan officer will look at several different things, including your credit and job history, but they also determine what percentage of your income should go towards a house.

"Normally we`d probably like to see something at about 28-30 percent of their gross income is kind of a guideline of where they should maybe be paying for their house payment,” said American State Bank Real Estate Loan Manager Richard Medalen.

The bank also has to verify your income.

"We get people that come out and are maybe working 100 hours a week, and getting all this overtime, well we can`t use that unless there is a history that they`ve been doing that for a year or two,” Medalen added.

If you`re approved for a loan, Cymbaluk says that approval letter makes a world of difference when you meet with a realtor.

"Once they identify that price point that they can afford in their budget, and their income, then we`ll pull up the internet and we`ll go through all the houses on the market.”

From the time you find a house, to closing on it, Cymbaluk says it takes around 60-90 days.

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