Buyer's Guide

Buying a home in today's market can feel like a complex and challenging process. Finding a home you love, deciphering professional reports and disclosures, understanding pricing and strategy, preparing a winning offer, competing against multiple buyers, and managing escrow are only a few highlights of the process. The learning curve can be steep, which is why my role as your agent is to guide you through every step of your journey from start to finish. It’s essential to work with someone you can trust, as having the right agent by your side can make the biggest difference between success and failure.

You'll want to decide on your budget once you've had a chance to see how much the mortgage company will give you. In many cases, a mortgage company will pre-approve you for more than you’re comfortable spending, which is why it's ultimately up to you to determine the monthly payment you feel comfortable with. This likely includes doing a full household budget and taking into consideration what changes other than a mortgage payment will occur once you move into your new home. Getting pre-approved by a lender won't just help you during your search. More often than not you'll be asked to submit one with your offer. Sellers want to see proof of eligibility, speak with your lender, and understand the details of your financing before accepting your offer. Local lenders are usually preferred by sellers because they understand the market, unique types of properties, and specific transactional practices. Ultimately, you want someone you can trust and feel comfortable with.

Once you have selected the perfect home, work with your agent to craft a fair offer based on the value of comparable homes on the market. Depending on what the home is listed at and whether the current environment is a buyer’s or seller’s market, your offer may be below, at, or even above the asking price. I will be able to help you negotiate if you receive a counteroffer and reach an agreement. At this point, the house will go into escrow.

Now is the time to go back to the mortgage lender who pre-approved or pre-qualified you and choose your mortgage. You will be presented with various options based on your unique financial situation, including fixed-rate, variable-rate, 15-year, 30-year, or special programs such as VA loans or FHA loans. Work with your mortgage lender to select the option you feel the most comfortable with.

No one looks forward to all the paperwork involved in buying a home, but it’s a necessary part of the process. Fortunately, everything will be arranged by your lender and title company and, when you’re finished, you’ll know you are the legal owner of your new home.