Home Buying Process
In 6 steps I can take you from dreaming about a home to owning your dream home!
Step 1 – Get Financially Pre-Approved
Getting pre-approved is a crucial first step. Not only will it help you determine what you are qualified for so you know what budget to search within, but your pre-approval letter will also be required to accompany any offer you submit. The last thing you want to do is miss out on your dream home simply because you did not complete the pre-approval process in time.
Not sure who to contact, I can help. I have a list of experienced and trusted lenders and mortgage brokers that my clients have loved working with that I can refer you to. Feel free to contact me for lender referrals.
Step 2 – Choose a Realtor
Choosing one dedicated and experienced Realtor is an essential next step. Did you know that the buyer pays nothing to have the assistance of a realtor? All brokerage fees are paid for by the seller. Your realtor will be assisting you with your search, showing you homes, pulling the reports and disclosures as well comps on interested properties and reviewing them with you, advising you on how to submit a winning offer, writing your offer, explaining the contract to you, presenting/submitting your offer and other required documents, negotiating for you, taking you to step by step through the escrow process, and much more.
Contact me today for a complimentary Buyer Consultation where I will go over the home buying process in more detail, and review the current real estate market with you so you know exactly what to expect. During the same appointment, I will get to know you, your motivation to purchase and learn more about your wants and needs in a home. It will end by me sharing information with you on my services to see if we would be a good fit in working together. Buyer Consultations can be done virtually via phone, facetime, zoom, etc.… during the pandemic.
Step 3 – Searching for Your New Home
During our consultation, I’ll explain to you how I stand out from other realtors by searching for not only on market properties the public has access to but also off-market properties that the public doesn’t have access to. I like to exhaust all possibilities to ensure we find the perfect home for you.
Step 4 – Seeing Homes
Due to the pandemic, appointments are required to see all properties as open houses are not permitted at this time. Once we have identified some properties you are interested in, we will schedule showing appointments to go see the homes. There are some additional steps we will need to take prior to and during showings that are required by the county due to COVID-19. Not to worry, I will explain all of this during the consultation, so you are prepared.
Step 4 – Preparing and Submitting an Offer
Once you fall in love with a home and want to offer, we will go over all of the available reports and disclosures as well as the comps so we can come up with the best offer strategy to help you win the home of your dreams. I will go over what this may look like during the consultation.
Step 5 – Escrow
Once your offer is accepted, you are in escrow. Escrow is a third party that helps to facilitate the handling of money for the transaction, oversees that the contract is being followed, ensures a clean and clear title is transferred to the buyer, and more. During the escrow period, you can conduct any needed investigations to satisfy your decision to purchase the home, your lender will order an appraisal and I will guide you on some additional needed steps before the close of escrow. The day your offer is accepted is day 0, the following day is day 1. Escrow closes once all funds have been placed into escrow, both parties (buyers and sellers) have signed off and the title records in the buyer’s name(s). I will go into more detail about this during the consultation.
Step 6 – Get Your Keys and Celebrate
This is my favorite day, the day I hand you the keys and welcome you to your new home! This typically takes place the day escrow closes, however; it can be moved to a later date if more convenient for you.
