1) Determine Your Needs & Wants
I work with my clients to establish their needs and wants (the wish list), including area neighborhood they are interested in, size and age of home, amenities, the school district, and more.
2) Get Pre-Qualified from a Lender
Once qualifications are determined by the loan officer, the gathering of financial information begins! At this point the buyers should get the lender’s pre-approval letter ready to go.
3) Home Search
Next, between the home search features on my website, market research and networking, I will create a list of prospective homes for my buyers to choose from. Also, any additional homes that they find doing their own home search will be included as well. We then visit the properties that best fit the search criteria.
4) Make an Offer on a Home
Once the buyers have found the property that they are interesting in purchasing, we will work together to submit a fair offer by using recent comparable sales in the area. That will help to assess the home’s market value.
5) The Negotiations Now Begin
Once all the terms are finalized, including closing date, price and other concerns the buyers may have, I present the offer to the listing agent and we begin to negotiate.
6) The Review Process
Once the contract is agreed on by both parties, we get focused on the standard purchase contingencies, including the home inspection, appraisal and mortgage commitment. The attorneys typically get involved at this point.
7) Your Final Walk-Through & The Closing Table
Before the closing, my clients and I do a walk-through of the property to give them a final look at the home and confirm that changes, and repairs promised by the seller are completed.
Closings can take place at a title company, and attorney’s office or the real estate office. After all documents have been signed and funds to close are in escrow, the property is conveyed to the buyers and they are now home owners!
