Buying or selling a home?

Buying a home can be stressful for a lot of people, but it's not too hard with a little up-front planning. I like to give buyers a road map of the whole deal so they'll know exactly what they can expect. Below are my nine steps to purchasing a home. When you're ready to get started, just contact me here or e-mail me at . I'm happy to address questions you have about this information.

Step 1 – Get ready to purchase a home
There are many things you'll want to take into account before beginning your home search. When you start your search, you'll probably want to make an index of items you want to have, get a plan of what neighborhoods you'd like to live in, and start planning around your budget. Ensuring your mortgage payment is around a third of your monthly income is a good guideline to adhere to.

Step 2 – Speak with a real estate agent in Topton
That's where I come in. I'd be happy to plan a time to meet with you and communicate with you about why you want to buy a home and get an idea of your upcoming plans. We'll talk about neighborhoods, schools in the Topton area, the mortgage and housing industries, and any additional economic factors that could affect your buying decision today or in the future.

In addition, I'll help you get started on your loan. There are some very good mortgage professionals in Topton, and I work with a lot of them, so you'll be in great hands. They'll assist you with figuring out which kind of loan is best for you and help you get approved.

Step 3 – Begin looking
Following our initial meeting, I'll start looking for houses on the market that meet your needs. I'll research many of the houses and remove the bad ones, and then we'll set up appointments to tour the homes when it's most convenient for you.

When we tour homes, I'll point out positive features and negative ones. I'll even ask you to tell us about things you like and don't like. Oftentimes, buyers change their list of must-haves as we view houses and some things become more essential than others. If such is the case, I'll search the listings once again and trim it down to the house you've been waiting for.

Step 4 – Get a grasp of the housing market
My awareness of the Topton market is a crucial aspect in your home search. I am mindful of all the schools and neighborhoods, and I will communicate which neighborhoods are "hot" and warrant immediate action and others that are "cold" and allow for careful examination.

As we tour houses, I'll be sure to tell you when the seller's list price has room for bargaining and also when I think the house is "priced to sell." Any real estate agent will tell you they truly know the home market, but be mindful, and be sure to ask your agent a lot of questions. If it doesn't seem like they know everything, call me at 8283213101 or e-mail me at , and I'll be more than happy to answer any questions you may have. My understanding of the market will help you stay a step above the rest through the entire deal.

Step 5 – Find the home you've been waiting for
We'll find your dream house in the Topton area, and when that happens, I'll carefully create your real estate purchase offer. The offer will be tailored with your needs in mind and the home, including several contingencies. A few examples are getting financing, finishing the home inspection, and a clear title.

Upon submitting your offer, most likely you'll need to submit "earnest money." This is a cash deposit submitted to a home seller to secure an offer to buy the property and is most often applied to the closing costs. If your offer is accepted by the seller, we should close on the property within 30 to 60 days after. This allows sufficient time for your mortgage financing.

Step 6 – Negotiate
Most deals aren't closed on the first offer – it's really common to receive a counter offer. But don't let this discourage you. We'll figure out whether or not to agree to the counter offer, submit our own counter offer, or reject the seller's offer and go on.

How aggressively we negotiate the deal depends on market conditions. We'll also work within your financing constraints. And at the end of the day, we'll create a deal that is best for you.

Step 7 – Obtain financing
Upon finishing the contract, you'll begin working with your mortgage lender to close the loan. If you're pre-qualified, this won't be a long process at all. But you'll want to keep in close contact with your mortgage lender. And I'll look after all the property information your lender will need to close the loan.

Step 8 – Close the deal
You'll get a Loan Estimate (LE) of your closing costs from your lender within three days of receiving your loan application. This estimate is formed from the loan amount, and RESPA requirements require that it has to involve all closing costs and fall within a precise range of accuracy. I'll study the estimate and let you know if it all looks adequate.

Then we'll close on your house. This will most likely happen at a title company or escrow office and is often a smooth and peaceful occasion.

Step 9 – Move in
Congratulations! It's time to move into your new house. Enjoy it. And if you have any questions, be sure to call me at 8283213101 or e-mail me at .