Buying a Home  

When it comes time to buying a home there are many things to consider.  First and foremost, it is important to determine what you can afford.  By doing this you can determine what price range of homes to look at.  This process is often called "pre-qualification".  Pre-qualifying is the process of providing general personal and financial information to a lender so the that the lender can determine if you will be able to obtain a mortgage loan.  The lender will often provide a Pre-qualification Letter to a prospective seller so that the seller is confident that you will be able to complete the purchase of their home. 

Next, it is important to consider your lifestyle and what is important to you and your family.  Do you like yard work?  How many bedrooms do you need?  Do you want  a single family home or maybe a townhouse?  Everyone is different and has different needs to fit their own lifestyle.  What might be right for someone else may not be right for you.  Sometimes it helps to rely on the knowledge, experience and objective viewpoint of someone who knows the area, and can organize and prepare your search for a home in a way that allows you to make clear minded decisions.

After looking at different homes and deciding on the home that best suits your personal and financial needs, it then becomes time to negotiate a sales contract with the seller.  It is important to remember that the seller and the buyer have different objectives and that the contract has to meet the objectives of both.  Examples of issues that are normally discussed in the negotiation phase are:  When does possession of the home take place.?  What items are included in the sales price?  What amount of the closing costs is each party is prepared to pay and most importantly, what will the final purchase price be?  After all the issues are ironed out and both the buyers and sellers sign the contract, then it becomes time to secure your financing and prepare for closing. You may obtain financing on your own or I can assist you in finding a lender that will work with you to secure your loan.

It is  necessary to have an appraisal done in order to ensure that the value meets the purchase price.  It is recommended that the home be professionaly inspected to determine if there are problems that will be costly to repair.  As a Real Estate Professional, it is my job to make sure that all preparations for closing are completed in a timely manner to ensure that you are able to close on your home per the contract requirements.  

As your REALTORŪ, you can feel comfortable knowing that:

• I will schedule the appraisal and home inspection, 
• I will be a line of communication between you and the seller, 
• I will maintain communication with your lender to ensure the loan process is progressing  
• I will keep in constant communication with you to answer any questions you have and 
• Coordinate an organized chain of events that allow you to complete the purchase of your home.

After all the preparation is complete, the appraisal is in, the home inspection is done, the title search is secured and the lender gives you the "green light" on your loan,  you can now "close" on your beautiful new home.  (But don't get too comfortable because right after closing you have to get busy moving!)