The Home Buying Process

When you finally make the decision to purchase a home, the next most important decision is to find a REALTOR® who is knowledgeable about the community you want to live in. Even more important is to engage a REALTOR® who has the time to provide a thorough review of your wants and needs, and develop a comprehensive plan to find exactly what you are looking for. After all, this process is about you finding a place to call home.

The Initial Consultation

During an initial consultation we will ask questions and listen thoughtfully to your responses to help determine your specific needs for a home, and we will use that information to develop your personalized search criteria.  Using our state of the art listing alert and home search platform from RealScout, you will be setup with a search that brings homes that best match your preference to the top of the search list. All properties within the system are reviewed to determine their proximity to local amenities, their visual characteristics, and they are tagged to aid your search.

After the initial consultation, we can provide you with a local mortgage lender contact for loan pre-approval based on the needs discussed.  There are certain lenders that specialize in FHA, VA, or other specialty loans, and there are also certain lenders that have better rates and/or terms with their loans. We will assist in getting you in touch with the best lender to meet your goals.  We also have an in-house lender that can assist you with pre-approval if you are interested. Just ask, and we will be glad to provide the referral.

Many buyers are searching based on price, schools and/or commute requirements.  For the most up to date pricing and school information for the local area, please visit the communities tab built into my website.  When we get together to view properties we can also acquaint you with many of the local hidden gems and amenities in the area.

Finding your Home

Once the initial consultation is completed and a pre-approval has been obtained, it is time to start looking for homes.  Our listing alert system is going to be an integral part of this process as it will act as a communication platform regarding the properties available for sale. If there is a property you would like to view, you can request showings directly through the RealScout platform with a quick click of a button.

Some buyers find their perfect home on the first tour with their Agent, and some buyers take a little more time to see enough homes to create the picture of an ideal home. We will work with you during this time to help you hone your thinking and make sure you stay on track with your goals and wishes for a home.  Many agents will push you toward any home that you show interest in, but we believe it is important to discuss how the home fits into your life and what you are looking to accomplish before preparing an offer.

The Offer Process

Once you find the the home that is right for you, we will assist in preparing an offer for the home.  The steps of this process involve some of the following activities:

1. Prepare sales comparables of home to help determine the true market value.  In determining value for the home we will take into account the location, recent sales, any deferred maintenance, and any improvements a market buyer would make in order to make the home livable.
2. Obtain any pre-offer disclosures for the home and review these documents with you to help you understand all of the details.  If anything in these documents causes you to need additional information, we will work with you to answer all your questions.  Our goal is to ensure you are fully informed about the condition of the property prior to making any offer.
3. Based on the condition of the home, the disclosures provided, and your financial capabilities, we will discuss an offer strategy for the property. Once the strategy is in place, we will work with you to get all of the appropriate documents signed.
4. We strive to present your offer in person to Seller or the Listing Agent.  We are not always afforded this opportunity, but we believe it is in your best interest to do so.
5. If the seller accepts the offer you submit, you will be in contract and the escrow process will begin.  Often times there will be some counter offer or further negotiation before a contract is accepted.  We will counsel you through this process, and make sure you don't exceed your prescribed price limits for the home
6. Once in contract, we will coordinate all inspections, reports, or access needed for the property to complete your loan process.  Depending on the structure of your purchase offer, the escrow period may be short or long.  We will work to accomplish whatever you desire during this period.
7. If any additional inspections are needed for the property, we will work to get those on the schedule ahead of any contingency removal or close dates.  Our strong referral network allows us to have professionals visit the home on short notice.
8. If there are any negotiations needed with the seller we will represent you on these and will work to get the best possible settlement in your favor.  Once all contingencies are removed, we will makes sure the remainder of the escrow process moves smoothly.
9. Within 5 days of the close of escrow, and after any loan documents are delivered to escrow we will schedule a sign off with the escrow company and we always try to be in attendance to ensure all of the terms and conditions are in agreement with the purchase contract.
10. On the date of the close of escrow we will get confirmation of the recording at the County.  Once this occurs we will coordinate to deliver keys to the property and also provide any necessary utility information to transfer services.

The close of escrow is not the end of our service.  We are available for you to discuss any details regarding your home, and also provide vendor recommendations to make your homeownership experience an enjoyable one.