OUR PROCESS
Buying A Home
Find a Real Estate Agent. Choose a knowledgeable real estate agent who understands your needs and the local market. A good agent can provide valuable insights, help you navigate the process, and negotiate on your behalf.
01
Determine Your Budget. Assess your financial situation to determine how much you can afford. Consider your income, savings, debt, and monthly expenses. Use online calculators to estimate mortgage payments based on different home prices.
02
Get Pre-Approved for a Mortgage. Contact lenders to get pre-approved for a mortgage. This involves providing financial information and credit history. A pre-approval letter shows sellers you are a serious buyer, giving you an advantage in competitive markets.
03
Start House Hunting. Create a list of your must-haves and nice-to-haves in a home. Use online listings, attend open houses, and work with your agent to identify potential properties.
04
Visit Properties. Schedule showings to visit homes that meet your criteria. Take notes and pictures to help remember each property. Assess the condition of the home, neighborhood, and proximity to schools, work, and amenities.
05
Make an Offer. Once you find a home you want to buy, work with your agent to draft an offer. This includes the price you’re willing to pay and any contingencies (e.g., home inspection, financing). Your agent will submit the offer to the seller's agent.
06
Negotiate. Be prepared for negotiations. The seller may accept your offer, reject it, or make a counteroffer. Your agent will help you navigate this process to reach a mutually agreeable price and terms.
07
Home Inspection and Appraisal. Once your offer is accepted, hire a professional home inspector to identify any potential issues with the property. If significant problems are discovered, you may negotiate repairs or credits with the seller. The lender will order an appraisal to determine the property's market value. This ensures that the loan amount aligns with the home's worth. If the appraisal comes in lower than the purchase price, you may need to renegotiate or cover the difference.
08
Close the Sale. Attend the closing meeting, where you’ll sign the necessary paperwork. This includes the mortgage documents and the deed. Pay closing costs, which typically include fees for the loan, title insurance, and other associated costs. After all documents are signed and payments are made, you’ll receive the keys to your new home! Celebrate your new purchase and start planning your move.
09
Frequently Asked Questions
The timeline for finding a house varies greatly because there are so many variables. Once you find a house and have an accepted offer, it usually takes around 30 days to close. If everything goes relatively smoothly between the buyer and the seller then you can expect it to take around 40 days total.
A Realtor is your most valuable asset when buying a home. They will walk you through every part of the home buying process and will do much of the grunt work for you. They will educate and inform you of all your options. And finally, they will represent you throughout the transaction and beyond.
Absolutely! There are some great home buying programs to research. The main ones would be VA loans, USDA loans, and FHA loans. Knowing the difference between these types of loans is very important.
The down payment is usually the largest cost associated with buying a house and lending fees are the second largest. Most lenders will charge between 2% to 4% of the loan amount for loan origination fees, depending on the loan type. Conventional loans usually have lower loan origination fees, but require more money down. Your loan officer will be able to help you determine how much you can expect to pay towards loan origination and closing costs.
Usually, you will get the keys at the closing which typically takes about an hour. In some cases, the lender will need time to fund the loan and you will need to pick up the keys after the loan has been funded. If you have a Friday evening closing and the loan cannot fund until Monday, you may not get the keys until Monday. Make sure to coordinate your closing to get the keys on the same day, if that is what you want or need.