Seven Steps to Success:

1. Get Financing First

The first step in the home buying process is a critical one to the ultimate success of finding the right home! I strongly recommend to all of my clients that we begin by consulting a lending institution to get pre-approved for a mortgage. There are many benefits for you:

• You look at only those homes in your price range
• Your bargaining position will be greatly enhanced
• You can close quickly
• You minimize the trauma of not knowing where you qualify
• If another buyer makes an offer at the same you do, being pre-approved will probably make yours the most attractive for the seller

2. View Homes

It’s important that you communicate to me the features and benefits you want in a home. Considerations include such things as pricing, location, size, amenities and design. Next, it’s important to consider your priorities. If you can’t get a home in your price range with all the features that you want, then what features are most important?

All neighborhoods and communities have a special nature that gives them identity and value. One community may be well known for historic homes while another offers both suburban living as well as easy access to downtown office areas. I’ll be your guide as we explore the options and homes in your price range.

3. Make Your Offer to Purchase

When you’ve found the right home, it’s wise to act quickly! As a Certified Real Estate Negotiator, I will advise you and help prepare your offer to the seller, explaining local customs and the many terms and conditions necessary in an Offer to Purchase contract. I’ll then present your offer to the seller in the best possible light, negotiating on your behalf to save you money and to protect your interests.

4. Have the Home Inspected

After we’ve found your new home and successfully negotiated your offer with the seller, an important next step is getting an inspection performed on the property. There is a provision in the purchase contract that gives you the right to inspect the mechanical, electrical, plumbing and structural aspects of the property. If repairs are needed, you can request that the seller make them in accordance with the provisions of the purchase contract. It is important to remember, though, that the inspector’s report is not a repair list.

5. Consider a Home Warranty

When purchasing a previously occupied home, I suggest that you consider a Home Warranty. In the event of a covered defect or breakdown, the warranty company will step in and make the repair. This plan provides coverage for one year on such items as: heating and cooling systems, plumbing system, water heater, electrical system, appliances and more! As with any warranty, some exclusions may apply and you need to be sure to read the warranty plan in its entirety!

6. Consider Title Insurance

You’ve signed a purchase agreement and you’re scheduled for closing on the home of your dreams. Who wants to think about something as obscure as title insurance? Actually, you’d be foolish not to! A title is the document that verifies your legal right to your new home. To make sure there are no past errors or legal entanglements that might affect your ownership rights, all properties are subjected to a title search before closing. Sometimes, however, a title problem will unexpectedly surface days or year later. If a problem does occur, you’ll be glad to have the protection of insurance. There are two types of title insurance: one that protects the lender (required) and one that protects you (optional). Don’t underestimate the importance of this coverage.

7. Do a Final Inspection, and Close on your New Home

Before the closing, I’ll assist you in doing a final “walk-through” inspection of the home. We’ll make sure that the condition of the home is pretty much the same as when you last saw it, and that everything that was included in the purchase agreement is remaining on the property. The closing is the last step in the home buying process. It’s the official transfer of the property from the seller to you! The closing usually lasts about an hour and typically takes place at an attorney’s or lender’s office. Primarily, you’ll sign numerous papers and documents, all of which will be explained to you along the way. You’ll receive a formal settlement statement that itemizes your actual charges. You’ll finalize your mortgage, pay what’s due and get the keys to your new home!