Here are some of the steps we'll take to get you there:

1.  Pre-qualification for a loan.

This is different from getting pre-qualified.  To be pre-approved means a lender has pulled your credit report, taken a full application from you and had conversations about your income, debt and other issues that might affect what you can afford. This is usually required once you have an accepted Buy Sell Agreement and are under contract to purchase.  

Many buyers shy away from this very important step, or don't take it until AFTER they've found a property.  This can often mean the difference between getting a property or losing it to a buyer that is better prepared.

The lender has everyone's best interests in mind--yours as well as the bank they represent.  The goal is to ensure you can afford the  homes you are viewing, and that the bank can minimize their risk.  We are all a team in this together. 

Sometimes there are snags in this part of the process, and the lender can work with you to establish a plan of attack to remedy any items that may cause a problem down the road.  This also helps avoid making an offer on a property, and sadly, having to walk away from the deal due to problems that crop up during the underwriting stage that could have been avoided.

A good agent can provide you with several trusted lenders they have worked with, and will also be part of the communications with your lender so that they are showing you the right houses that meet your goals and budget.

Need referrals?  I can provide you with the right people to work with, just contact me to get the ball rolling.

2.  Get Educated.

This means much more that simply knowing what homes in a particular neighborhood are going for, or choosing a school district boundary area to live in.  If you are a first-time buyer, many steps in the process will be new and unfamiliar.  Working with an agent that is familiar with the different options available to you, as well as someone that can read between the lines when determining what homes to look at is invaluable.  This experience can save you time, money and headaches.  The more you know, the less stressful the process will be.

3.  Understanding the Costs

This is where your agent and lender will work together to provide you with estimates of what it will cost to purchase a property.  Depending on your type of financing, loan package you use and other items such as HOA (homeowner's assocation fees), property taxes and other items that vary with each property, you'll have a clear idea of what you will be paying for the home you choose BEFORE you write the offer.

4.  Putting Together An Offer That Will Close!

You've finally found the property you want to purchase!  Together we'll review comparatives (homes that have recently sold in the area) to determine the best way to present your offer.  Writing an offer includes more than just what you are willing to pay -- putting together a strong offer, one that is difficult for a seller to refuse -- can include many other pieces.  Details such as closing date, inspections, and other contingencies will be reviewed to put you in the strongest position possible so they will accept your offer over another.

5.  Under contract, now what?

Once both the buyer(you) and the seller agree on contract terms, the next piece of the process begins moving forward.  This is the heavy lifting part for the agents.  The paperwork is shared with my transaction coordinator who tracks deadlines, coordinates with parties involved and assists both me and you to ensure things move forward smoothly.  We'll provide you with a timeline as well as information on what to expect as we move towards closing.

For the visual types out there, here's an infographic of what we just covered:

You made it!  We're glad you're here.

 Our market had a mini-lull over Christmas and the first week of January, but had started back up again.  The good news,  prices have evened out a bit, and more is coming on market every day.  Mortgage rates are still LOW.  Many buyers were discouraged last year due to multiple bids and inflated list prices, and lost out on properties they really wanted.  But guess what?  

When a property comes on market, someone  has to get it, so why shouldnt' that be you?

Last year was very busy in our market, and we heard a lot of this:   

     "I missed my chance."

     "Property is too expensive now."

     "I'm happy (fill in the blank here) renting, living in the town, staying in this house..."

     "I refuse to get caught up in a bidding war."

     "Guess it wasn't meant to be."

And the most popular one...drumroll please:

     "I'm going to wait until the market drops."

(read my post about why that won't happen here)

We hear lots of excuses from buyers, which often means you aren't ready.  You haven't mentally made the commitment to buy, or are scared of the process in this market.  We take the scared part out of the process.

When we work together, we'll do the following to ease your fears and apprehension:

• Get you pre-qualified BEFORE we look at houses
• Research properties that have sold so you know what they've gone for and how quickly
• Be ready to JUMP when the right property comes along
• Write a strong offer that gets yours accepted over others

We frequently win multiple offer situations we were in with our clients?  The reason?  Preparation and trust (emphasis on preparation on your part, we'll handle the trust end)

What can we achieve together this year?  Let's do this!

 Get started today by contacting us.