Home Buying Process

Step 1: Find a real estate agent!

That would be us! We would be happy to represent you in negotiations and help you through the home buying process. The way buyer agents get paid is not through the buyer, but rather through the commission that is shared by the listing agent. As REALTORS® we are held under the law to owe certain ethical duties to my clients, these are: * Loyalty * Confidentiality * Disclosure * Obedience * Reasonable care and diligence * Accounting. What this means is that our job is not to sell you a specific home, but rather to represent your best interests when it comes to finding the home that is right for you. If you choose us as your agents, we will have you sign a Buyer-Representation Agreement which states you are allowing one of us to fill in real estate contracts and negotiate on your behalf. You can terminate the contract anytime by just letting us know, so there is nothing to be scared about, our goal is to help you!

Step 2: Get Pre-Approved For A Mortgage!

In today's market, it is essential to add a pre-approval or approval letter to the offers to increase the chances of getting them accepted. Pre-approval letters are also a great way to know how much home you can afford based on your credit, assets, and income. Note that you can apply with multiple mortgage lenders, and it’s in your best interest to apply with at least three to get the best rate. Don't worry about this affecting your credit score, you have 14-days to shop around for a mortgage lender without getting a hard inquiry in your record for each one of them.

For more information about this process, check out our blog on "Getting a Home Loan".

Step 3: Begin House Hunting!

We will now set up our MLS system, one-home, showing you various homes with the specifications you provided us. You will get all the currently available as well as coming soon homes that match the criteria, and if any new home gets posted you will receive it as soon as it goes on the market. If you like one of them and want to take a look, just send us a text or give us a call so we can set up a showing. You can text us ANY TIME of the day, even if its 2 or 3am! We will get back to you as soon as possible.

Step 4: Make An Offer On A House!

Okay, so now you like a house and want to put in an offer, awesome! We will first send you a CMA (comparative market analysis) to see how the home compares to similar properties in terms of market value. This should be a valuable tool that you can use to ensure you're making a competitive offer on a home. Then, we will help you write a contract with how much you want to offer and we'll go over all the details, terms, ways to strengthen the offer, negotiations, etc. We will then contact the seller/listing agent and submit it for you. From here the seller can either accept, reject or counter offer.

Step 5: Get A Home Inspection!

This is after the offer gets accepted. Lenders usually don’t require a home inspection to get a loan, but you should still get an inspection during the option period before you buy a property. This is very important since based on what the result is, we can negotiate repairs, lower the home price, or even walk away (if necessary).

To see what is covered in a home inspection check out our other blog "what to expect from home inspection"

Step 6: Get A Home Appraisal!

While I will provide you with a Comparative Market Analysis of the property prior to placing an offer, an appraisal is still required to know how much the home is worth in the Lender's eyes. Lenders require appraisals for the loan and will order this for you.

Step 7: Do A Final Walk-through!

Our favorite part of this job is walking with the client through the home one last time before it's officially theirs! While it's an exciting time, it's also a great opportunity to make sure everything is in order with the home.

Step 8: Close On Your New Home!!!

At this point, your lender will already have given you your Closing Disclosure, which tells you what you need to pay at closing and summarizes your loan details. The title insurance company will have sent you all the information you need for closing day and I will make sure everything is in order for a smooth stress-free closing!

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And that's it, you have a new home!! Once you find a home, this process usually takes about 30 days, sometimes more and sometimes less, and my job is to be here for you every step of the way.

If you have any questions, CONTACT US !