The Process of Buying a Home
If you are buying a home, its important that you share your expectations with your REALTOR from the get-go, but in the event that you don’t know what to expect, let me shed some light on the process. There are a dizzying amount of steps to take to successfully purchase a home: the offer process, inspections, the appraisal, and the most important part CLOSING! I will take you through each step so as a buyer, you know what to expect.
Needs vs. Wants
Let’s start with your needs and wants. Decide what characteristics in a home you want, and what are your non-negotiables. Consider area, price-point, style of home, backyard space, and whether you want a move-in ready home, or prefer a remodel project. As your REALTOR, I can set up searches and find you the best properties. And here’s what I need YOU to do: Check your email often for search results & sort through the results. Make time for showings. Don’t be afraid to call when you see a home you like, we don’t want to miss an opportunity!
Submitting Offers
When I submit an offer for you, it’s possible that it may not be accepted at first pass, because the sellers may have a better offer or different outcome in mind. At this point, we could receive a counter offer which we review and determine if this is the right move for you.
Inspections
When your offer is accepted, its time for the inspection. There will be items that come up during inspection no matter if the house is brand new, or 100 years old. It is important that we discuss what the most concerning items are and what needs the most attention. Most often, buyers will ask for a few repairs to be made to the home, it is part of the negotiation process. As a buyer you can expect certain items to come up on the report depending on the age of the home. It could be the roof, electrical, or even the AC, or oftentimes minor repairs will come up.
Appraisal
Anytime you acquire a loan, you will be required to get an appraisal. This will need to be paid for at the time the lender orders it, and typically it is paid for by the buyer. You can expect the fee to be around $400-$500 dollars. Why does the appraisal value matter? Buyers and sellers need the appraisal to be at least as much as the agreed offer price. If the appraisal value comes in “low” or lower than the sales price, that means that the amount agreed upon is overpriced. A lender will not lend more money than a house is worth. If an appraisal value were to come in low, at that point, we can go back to the seller and try to renegotiate the price to meet the appraisal value.
Closing Time
Now that we have gotten through the negotiations, inspection and appraisal, we are set to close on your new home! The key to success is having patience with the process. Finding a home that fits your wants and needs can take a long time OR a short time.The key is to understand the market you are buying in, what the standards of practice are when it comes to each stage of the transaction, and always keep in mind what terms are most important to you and that the final GOAL of the process is to buy a home! There are checks and balances that need to happen before a home can be sold.
No matter what your goals are, I’m here to guide you through every step of the process.
