Buyers

Finding a Realtor®

When you are looking to purchase a home, the most important decision comes down to choosing the best Real Estate Agent to represent you and your needs in the buying process.

The job of your future Realtor® is to support and help you find your perfect home with the best terms possible for your individual situation; this includes educating, empowering and aiding you through the entire buying process.

Tips for Selecting a REALTOR®

Your Future Real Estate Agent should be:

• A local community expert
• Knowledgeable regarding the complicated local and state laws & requirements regarding your transcation.
• An experienced and talented negotiator.
• A highly-trained professional with access to top notch continuing education programs
• Technologically advanced
• Endorsed by professional legal counsel

Financing a New Home

The Majority of Real Estate Agents will recommend getting pre-qualified for a home before starting your search in order to accurately understand which price range of homes you can afford. These calculators and tools will help your home financing situation:

• Home Affordability Calculator
• 15 Year vs 30 Year Mortgage
• Mortgage Calculator
• Closing Costs Estimator
• Renting vs Buying Calculator

Loan Process

Your Realtor® will assist you in finding the perfect mortgage lender. Once you and your Real Estate Agent have found the ideal mortgage lender, you will then complete these steps of the loan process:

• Application
• Loan Submission
• Closing

Finding and Selecting your Perfect Home

Now comes the fun and exciting part of the home buying process; FINDING YOUR HOME!

According to the criteria that you and your Realtor® have established for you together, your Real Estate Agent will assist you in finding the perfect home for your individual situation. Everyone’s situation is different and unique therefor there are many factors that will be considered in selecting the perfect property, in the best location, with the ideal schools and amenities in the near by area. This is where having a local community expert comes into play and benefits clients who have taken the time to select a Realtor® with a local history.

A Realtor® with vast community knowledge and Realtor® resources will then start to research properties that are currently available on the market and show you the properties that meet the previously state qualifications. You can also find homes on your own research and then notify your Real Estate Agent of your findings. The only drawback to your own research is some homes are currently off the market that may be portrayed on the internet as active listings. Your Real Estate Agent will be able to find out if the property is currently available for purchase with his/her own research once you notify them of your findings.

While you are viewing numerous and different properties your qualifications and criteria for your future home may change and sometimes change dramatically. Being open and clear with your Real Estate Agent on your changing qualification is a key component in finding you the perfect home.

Making An Offer

Once you and your agent have found the home you would like to purchase your agent will use his/her knowledge and experience to help you put together an effective and strong offer. Your Realtor®’s strong negiotation skills will be in full effect at this point of the buying process. When you and your agent make an offer, the selling party of the home will have the option of accepting, rejecting, or counter offering your offer. Depending on the decision of the selling party, your Real Estate Agent will then come back to you and determine the next course of actions.

Escrow

If and when the offer is accepted and signed correctly by all parties involved, your Realtor® will open escrow for you. Your earnest money will then be deposited in a neautral third party account that will receive, hold, and finally distribute all the funds associated with this specific transaction.

Contingencies

Before the escrow can be properly closed, every single one of the contingencies of the Purchase Agreement must be met by both parties. Your experienced Real Estate Agent with handle this process. Standard contingencies may include but are not limited to:

• Pest Inspection
• Physical Inspection
• Loan Approval & Property Appraisal
• Purchasing Home Owner’s Insurance

Closing Escrow and Moving!

The final step of the buying process is closing escrow which includes signing all related and outstanding documents and then moving into your brand new home! Your Real Estate Agent will then be a wonderful resource to assist you in finding local and trusted vendors to help make your move smooth and easy!