Buying a Home
Buying a Home
If you can
dream it,
I can find it.
I am relentless about helping my clients realize their dreams, so that at the end of the day you can emerge with a house you’re proud to call home, and the confidence you made the right decision.
You want to buy a home.
Where do you begin?
You’re ready to buy - or maybe you're just ready to start seriously thinking about buying. There’s a lot you can do to prepare. With so much information available at your fingertips it can be hard to know where to begin, so here are a few things to help you get started.
Step one is finding out your budget for your new home. The best way to do that is to meet with a mortgage professional who will review your income, assets, and credit history in order to pre-approve you for a loan. Not only does getting pre-approved allow you to narrow your home search, but it also makes your offer stronger when it comes time buy. If you don’t currently have a lender, I would be happy to recommend one.
Imagine your ideal home then make a list of everything you envisioned, such as the number of beds/baths, the style of home, and location. Then break that list down into high-priority items you can’t live without and lower-priority things that would be an added bonus.
Once you know how much you can afford and what you’re looking for in a home, it’s time to start your search. And the best place to start is online. Consider setting up a MyWindermere account so you’re notified every time something new comes on the market that fits your search parameters. As your real estate agent, I can also send you potential homes and take you to tour them in person once you’re ready to get serious. In the meantime, if you want some inspiration, you can peruse the pages of Windermere Living Magazine.
I take my responsibility of helping my clients through the buying journey very seriously. I realize this is probably one of the largest financial purchases you’ll ever make, and you can count on me to be your guide, your counselor, and your fiercest advocate every step of the way.
You're ready to buy.
What now?
Once you’ve found the home you can see yourself living in, what’s next? There are many steps to go through before you can officially call yourself a homeowner. I will guide you through this process, but in the meantime, here’s a preview of what you can expect.
When making an offer on a home, I will negotiate on your behalf in order to attain the best terms for you. This can include negotiating the price, repair costs, timelines, and contingencies.
This is the legal contract a buyer and seller enter into once the buyer’s offer has been accepted by the seller. It outlines the terms and conditions of the sale and is signed by both parties.
Once the Purchase and Sale Agreement is signed, a home inspector is hired to examine the home’s health, safety, and major mechanical systems. If any issues arise from an inspection, the buyer may be able to renegotiate their offer.
After your offer is accepted, the next step is to get final loan approval. During this process the lender will decide if they’re willing to approve your mortgage based on things like your creditworthiness and the title history and appraisal of the home you want to buy.
This is a report for you and your lender detailing the history of the home you’re buying to ensure there are no legal barriers to purchasing it.
This is when you agree to pay a percentage of the home’s asking price into an independent account to show the seller that you’re serious about buying. In return, they agree to take the home off the market. When the sale closes that money is put toward the down payment or closing costs.
During this final step of the home-buying process, ownership is transferred from the seller to the buyer, closing costs are paid, and a number of documents are signed. After closing is finalized and recorded, the home is yours!
Curious what’s happening in the market where you’re thinking about buying a home? Read Windermere Chief Economist Matthew Gardner’s latest GARDNER REPORT featuring economic and housing updates.
