Congratulations on your decision to buy a new home! Whether it’s the first time you’ve ever done this, or the twentieth time you’ve made a real estate purchase, there may be parts of the process that have changed or that you might not be familiar with. We’ll be going over those things so that you’ll know exactly what to expect. We’ll also develop the ideal game plan so things go as smoothly as possible…and before you know it, you’ll be knee deep in unpacking boxes and deciding where everything goes!
Buying a Home
CONGRATULATIONS!
You've made
THE DECISION TO BUY
The best way
TO GET STARTED
You’ve already taken the most important first step…which is to enlist the help of agents who have many years of experience, and countless transactions under their belt. Experience matters when it comes to buying a home! Negotiating the best offer, pointing you in the right direction for financing, and communicating throughout the entire process is something you’ll regard as the most valuable traits for the agents representing you in what is arguably the largest purchase transaction of your life.
Developing the
PERFECT GAME PLAN
The perfect game plan is quite simple, but also very strategic. These actions should take place in their given order so we can achieve the desired results in the shortest time possible. Below, we’ll highlight what those steps are, and provide details and insight into each stage so everything stays on track.
- Get pre-approved for a mortgage loan
- List your current home for sale (if applicable)
- Define in detail what your ideal home would be
- Create a custom MLS search just for you
- Physically tour available properties that meet your criteria
- Once a property has been found, prepare and present an offer
- Open escrow
Let's talk about
THE DETAILS
GETTING PRE-APPROVED
REQUIRED ON MOST OFFERS NOWADAYS
So that their sellers don’t spend unproductive time with buyers who don’t qualify, virtually all listing agents now require that any offers made on the home include a full pre-approval showing the buyers are actually qualified to purchase the home. If you don’t have this in hand, there are many sellers who won’t even look at your offer (some won’t even allow you to tour their home), and you risk losing the property to another buyer who’s better prepared.
LIST YOUR CURRENT HOME
PUTTING IT ON THE MARKET
We put this in second place intentionally, because many sellers list their existing property before knowing if they can qualify to buy their next one. We don’t recommend that. However, if you’ve already spoken to a lender, and determined that you qualify for your next purchase, then yes, now is the time to put your current property on the market. We’ll determine the optimum sales price that will offer the quickest sale at the highest net profit.
CREATE A WISHLIST
FOR YOUR IDEAL HOME
This one is pretty self explanatory, but can often be overlooked when it comes to the details. It’s easy to say how many bedrooms and baths you’re looking for, but what about a workshop in the garage, or a built-in barbecue in the backyard, or a fireplace in the master bedroom? You can get as detailed as you want (way more detailed than Zillow or other real estate sites, for example). Go ahead and click on the button below for more info.
VIEW AVAILABLE HOMES
TAKING A TOUR IN PERSON
You’ll never get to know a property better than when you actually see it in person. Sometimes the online photos just don’t cover all of the things you’re interested in (garages are a common example). In person, you might also discover that the house needs a little more work than originally thought, or that the next door neighbor has dogs that bark a lot. On the other hand, you may discover that the property is ABSOLUTELY PERFECT for you and your family, and is everything you hoped it would be…and more!
WRITING AN OFFER
TO PURCHASE THE PROPERTY
You’ve found the perfect home, and have your loan pre-approval in hand. The next step is to make an offer in writing to buy the home. We’ll assist you in determining the best price to offer, and help identify who should pay for things like the home warranty, the home inspection, the termite report, etc. We’ll also make sure you completely understand everything you’re signing (we don’t simply say “sign here…sign there”) because once the seller accepts your offer, it becomes a legally binding contract. We’ll be by your side the whole way!
OPENING ESCROW
AND HEADING TOWARD THE FINISH LINE
Escrow takes the accepted purchase agreement between you and the seller, and ensures that each party does exactly what the contract says before the closing takes place. All conditions must be met prior to any money changing hands, or before ownership of the property transfers. They do not advise either party, as they must remain completely neutral and impartial throughout the transaction. The button below discusses the typical escrow processes, along with estimated timeframes and more.
