Buying a home

1.  Get pre-approved by meeting with a Mortgage Broker. This is the most important step to home ownership. Together you will decide how much you can afford to pay for your home, and what monthly payment you feel comfortable with. The lender will collect all the necessary documents from you to ensure you are pre-approved. This is an important step for when you are presenting an offer on a home as it shows the seller that you are a serious buyer and are already pre-approved for the purchase of the property. 

I work with some preferred lenders that I would love to refer you to. Just let me know if you would like my recommendations.

2. Start making a list of Needs/Wants - This is the fun part. Now is the time to start thinking about your must-haves, and your wish list. How many bedrooms & bathrooms do you need to accommodate your family/lifestyle? How many would you like to have? Is there specific neighborhoods you prefer? What size yard would you like? Do you need/want an attached garage? Do you prefer to live in an HOA?

This list will help me narrow down the homes to show you which will help save you time in your home search. While we may choose to adjust the list during the search, this gives me a great place to start and get a feel for your situation.

3. Begin Looking at Homes - The home search can be a lot of fun, and it can also be exhausting. That's why I am here to keep you focused on your needs. Together we will decide which homes to tour. At each home I encourage lots of feedback on your likes and dislikes. When looking at homes you need to be objective. Does the floorplan fit your needs? What changes would you need/like to make? Is the neighborhood the right fit? Etc. 

4. Make an Offer - Together we will go over the Contract to Buy and Sell. This is the document we will use to present our offer to the seller. I will be sure you understand and feel confident with everything we are putting in the offer. Then, I call the listing agent to present our offer.

5. Under Contract - Once we are under contract on a home, it is my job to keep the process on schedule. I will remind you of any deadlines where I need you to perform. It is very important to give your lender any documents they request in a timely manner as lending is the number one reason for delays in closing.

6. Earnest Money - Once under contract you will need to deliver your Earnest Money check.  This will be credited back to you at time of closing as part of your monies due. 

7. Inspection - Most buyers choose to have an inspection performed on the home. The inspection generally takes about 3 hours. I encourage my buyers to attend the inspection. This is your chance to see the ins and outs of the home and get to know where everything is located. I will come towards the end of the inspection to briefly go over the findings with the inspector.

8. Appraisal - A qualified appraiser will create a report based on a visual inspection, using recent sales of similar properties, current market trends, and aspects of the home (e.g., amenities, floor plan, square footage) to determine the property's appraisal value.  

9. Closing - The closing will most likely take place at the Title Company. It generally takes about one hour. Your lender may attend the closing. I will be there to help answer any questions.