Buying a home is one of the most exciting milestones of your life. To prepare yourself for this moment, you need to know what to expect during the process. This step-by-step first time buyer’s guide created by our team will help reduce the stress of buying a home and help you enjoy the journey as much as possible.
Before buying a home, it’s important to research your options, including location, property type, and market trends, to better understand pricing fluctuations. Setting a budget based on what you’re comfortable spending, rather than what a mortgage company pre-approves you for, is crucial to avoid financial strain, especially with added expenses like utilities or HOA fees. While it’s possible to navigate the home-buying process without an agent, working with professionals like us can save you time, reduce stress, and provide valuable market insights. We’re here to help you find and secure the perfect home that meets your needs while guiding you through every step of the process.
Just because you think you can afford a certain payment every month doesn’t mean the mortgage company will agree. Just as they may approve you for too large of an amount, they may also approve you for a lesser amount or deny you a mortgage altogether. Lack of time at a job, insufficient credit, past bankruptcies, or other financial issues can cause major problems when trying to secure a mortgage. Before you get your heart set on a home, talk to a mortgage professional to find out what amount you can qualify for. This will also be an advantage when you make an offer on a home, as some sellers won’t entertain offers from those who aren’t already prequalified for a loan.
Our goal is to provide you with the most personalized service that is designed to help you buy your dream home
After your offer is accepted, the next step is a home inspection to check for major structural damage or necessary repairs, which we can help arrange. If no significant issues arise, the process moves forward, but if problems are found, you can renegotiate the offer or withdraw it. At this point, you’ll also finalize your mortgage by selecting the best option for your financial situation, whether it’s a fixed-rate, variable-rate, or specialized loan program. Additionally, your lender will order an appraisal to ensure the home’s value aligns with the agreed price, protecting both you and the lender.
No one looks forward to all the paperwork involved in buying a home, but it’s a necessary part of the process. Fortunately, everything will be arranged by your lender and title company and, when you’re finished, you’ll know you are the legal owner of your new home.
After signing the final paperwork to complete the purchase, you are now the owner of a new house. It may take a few days for your loan to be funded once the paperwork has been returned to the lender, but once that check is delivered to the seller, you’ll be all set to move into the home of your dreams.
We always strive to provide excellent service to buyers and sellers in order to earn their trust, referrals and repeat business. Clients appreciate our flexibility, low pressure sales, patience, ability to listen to unique home needs, negotiation and analytical skills and our ability to accurately price and market a home.
