Deciding what home to buy is one of the biggest decisions one makes in life. There are many factors to consider when purchasing a home such as the monthly payments, the term of the loan, the size of the house and the features of the home. Some of the features to consider are as follows:

• How many bedrooms do you want?
• Do you want a pool?
• What size of house (sq. feet)?
• What year is the house built?
• What type of landscaping?
• Do you want a one or two story home?
• How many bathrooms?
• Do you want a fireplace?
• Do you want a garage? What size?(2 car etc.)
• Do you want RV parking?
• What size lot do you want?
• What type of construction?(integra block, slump block, stucco etc.)
• Do you want to belong to a homeowners association or not?

Your group will need to determine the following:

1. The area of metropolitan Phoenix in which to search for the home.
2. What features do you want in the home? (see above introduction for ideas)
3. What monthly payments can you afford based upon the salary and outgoing bills given to you by your teacher?
4. What is the crime rate in the area you are choosing?
5. Are there any environmental issues to consider?
6. Whether or not to have a pool.
7. Find the list price of the home that you choose.
8. Find the current interest rate on home loans.
9. Find the cost for mortgage insurance.
10. Determine the term of the loan that fits your given monthly budget.
11. Calculate the monthly payments including taxes, mortgage insurance, and interest. This must be within your given budget!!
12. Construct an amortization table for each month over the entire term of the loan.

1. Each student will be assigned to a group of 3 students.
2. Each group will be given the following set of conditions:
   • Monthly take home pay
   • Monthly bills
   • Size of family
   • Age of family members
3. The group will determine the location, features, and price of the home as follows:
   • The first group member will choose an area of metropolitan Phoenix for the house and justify the choice.
   • The second group member will decide on 5 features (other than a pool) that must come with the house and justify the choice (The following is a list of questions to consider)
   • The third group member will decide upon the price of the home and justify the choice.
4. The group research will be divided as follows:
   • One member will research the crime rate for the area selected.
   • One member will research the environmental issues in the area.
   • One member will research mortgage insurance prices and interest rates for home loans.
   • Each member will read and respond to two articles:
     • One article concerning backyard pools
     • One article about homeowner's associations
5. The group will then submit their information for an MLS search.
6. The group then will choose 1 home from the houses obtained in the search.
7. Based upon the choice above, decide upon the term of the loan (20, 25, 30 years etc.).
8. Based upon the monthly payment above (excluding taxes and insurance), the group must determine if the the price meets their budget.
9. Using a spreadsheet (Excel), make an amortization table for all payments over the term of the loan.
10. Each group will do a PowerPoint presentation based upon their results. Groups must turn in the handouts of the slides and a list of resources used for the web quest. For each resource write 2 sentences describing how and/or why it was useful.

Group Research Question Resources:

1. International Real Estate Digest: http://www.ired.com/dir/ This site contains links to real estate support services.
2. REALTOR: http://www.realtor.com/ This is the site of the National Association of Realtors. This site contains links to real estate support services.
3. Real Estate: http://www.realestate.com/ This site contains links to real estate support services.
4. New Home Network: http://www.newhomenetwork.com/phoenix/ At this site you can find a home within certain regions. There are also links to real estate support services.
5. Move: http://www.move.com/ At this site you can find a home within certain regions. There are also links to real estate support services.
6. American Homeowner's Association: http://www.ahahome.com/ This is the site of the American Homeowner's Association. This site contains links to real estate support services.
7. Classifind: http://www.classifind.com/ This website is for classified adds
8. Az. Central - home buying choices: http://www.azcentral.com/real estate/index.cfm At this site you can find a home in metropolitan Phoenix. There are also links to real estate support services.
9. Crime: http://www.crime.org/links_city.html This page has links to city and county crime reports.

Articles on homeowner's associations:

• American Homeowner's Association: http://www.ahahome.com/articles/99/090699.html This is an article by the American Homeowner's Association about homeowner's associations.
• Eric's homeowner's association page: http://www.shooterdog.com/assn.htm This page belongs to an individual in California who belongs to a homeowner's association.
•  Tucson weekly: http://www.tucsonweekly.com/tw/03-23-95/cover.htm This cover story from the Tucson weekly is about homeowner's associations.

Articles on backyard pools:

• Children's safety zone: http://www.sosnet.com/safety/current.stories/add.campaign.99.html This is an article an add campaigns to prevent drownings in backyard pools.
• Children's safety zone: http://www.sosnet.com/safety/pool.safety/close.call.html This is an article written by a man whose son almost drowned in the family pool.
• Children's safety zone: http://www.sosnet.com/safety/current.stories/julian.98.html This is an article written by the mother of a child who drowned.
• Children's safety zone: http://www.sosnet.com/safety/current.stories/glendale.new.law.98.html This article is about Glendale's ordinance concerning pool safety.

Your project will be given both group and individual grades as follows:

• Justification of location, features, and price of the home (individual)
• Responses to each of the two articles (individual)
• Amortization table (group)
• PowerPoint presentation (group) Click here for Rubric

During the Buying a Home web quest you were using critical thinking skills such as: analysis, comparison, and evaluation. This involved research and the use of problem solving skills. Upon the completion of this web quest you should have a much clearer understanding of what is necessary in order to purchase a home and should have sharpened your critical thinking, research, and problem solving skills.