Buying Guide
We will work with you to understand your needs, wants and lifestyle to help you buy the home of your dreams. This is about more than a certain number of bedrooms or a particular zip code. This is about your life, and it’s important!
What you get from us
- A knowledgeable and professional REALTOR® who represents you
- Thorough consultation to determine your unique wants and needs in a home
- Advice on making offers based on expert market evaluation so you don’t “overpay”
- A committed ally who will complete your purchase contract, present your offer, and negotiate on your behalf
- Guidance through the closing process
7 Steps to Home Buying
- 1. Choose a REALTOR® It is important to trust your agent, as you will be spending a lot of time together and your agent will help you with one of the biggest financial commitments you will make.
- 2. Obtain Financial Pre-Approval Get pre-approved for a loan before you find the home you want to buy. Benefits include:
- - You know your price range, closing costs, and monthly payments up front.
- - You only look at homes within your price range.
- - Your negotiating position with the seller is stronger.
- - Closing on your new home can happen more quickly.
- - You know what condition the home is required to be in for loan approval.
- 3. View Homes and Find “The One!” After a thorough understanding of your new home needs, we will search the MLS (multiple listing service) for a list of homes that meet most or all of your requirements, and we schedule time to visit them. We will also help you find homes through For Sale By Owner (FSBO) signs, Open Houses and other online sites.
- 4. Make Your Offer Once you have found your dream home, we will research market data on the home to help you determine what to offer and we will present a written offer to the seller’s agent. There may be some negotiation required and the seller may either accept, reject, or counter your offer. When the seller accepts the offer, it becomes a legal contract.
- 5. Get Inspection and Negotiate Repairs You will hire a professional home inspector to conduct a thorough inspection of the property and we will negotiate with the seller to complete any necessary repairs. The seller will respond to requests for repairs in 3 ways: Seller will fix nothing, Seller will fix some items, Seller will fix all the items.
- 6. Appraisal If you are using a lender to purchase the home, your lender will require an appraisal on the home. An appraisal determines the value of the home. The appraisal request is ordered by the lender, assigned to an appraisal company, and assigned to a specific appraiser to visit, inspect and research the market value of the home. The appraisal will then be sent back to the lender once completed.
- 7. Final Review of Contract and Close! The closing is the formal process of signing papers, paying fees and closing costs, and receiving the keys to your new home! The time frame from under contract until closing will vary depending on the type of loan you’re approved for and the lender.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How will you tell me about the newest homes available?The Multiple Listing Service (MLS) Website provides up-to-date information for every home on the market. We constantly check the New on Market list so we can be on the lookout for our clients. The MLS website is also able to automatically email you each time a new home comes on the market fitting your criteria. You’re able to save your favorites and we will be able to see which ones you’ve saved.
Can you help me find new construction homes?Yes, we can work with builders to get you the information you need on location, styles, availablity, etc to include in your home search. We will accompany you on your visits with the builder. By using our services with a new construction home purchase, you will receive the services we offer, as well as those provided by the builder, at no additional cost. How does For Sale By Owner (FSBO) work? If you see a FSBO and want the advantages of my services, let me contact the owner for you and make an appointment. Most times the homeowner will work with an agent even though their home is not listed, since the agent is introducing a potential buyer to their property.
Can you help me find new construction homes?Yes, we can work with builders to get you the information you need on location, styles, availablity, etc to include in your home search. We will accompany you on your visits with the builder. By using our services with a new construction home purchase, you will receive the services we offer, as well as those provided by the builder, at no additional cost. How does For Sale By Owner (FSBO) work? If you see a FSBO and want the advantages of my services, let me contact the owner for you and make an appointment. Most times the homeowner will work with an agent even though their home is not listed, since the agent is introducing a potential buyer to their property.