What to Expect When Buying Your First Home

As a Realtor, and someone who has bought two houses of her own, I’d like to share with you my perspective on the best way to go about purchasing real estate. I have learned over the years that many consumers are intimidated by the idea of buying a house, so I‘ve written this blog entry to be both informative and reassuring.  It’s really not a scary process, especially if you have a personable and trust-worthy real estate agent by your side.

WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN BUYING YOUR FIRST HOME

1). Build a relationship with a Realtor before you’re ready to make a move. 
It’s never too early!  One of the biggest factors to consider when choosing your agent is if they are someone you feel you can trust.  A great agent will guide you in what steps you need to take to get ready for your home purchase.  They’ll also keep you informed about properties that are currently available, so that when you’re really ready to start looking, you’ll already know what’s on the market.  Best part…it won’t cost you a thing! The seller pays for the agents’ fees.

2). Get pre-approved!
It’s painless, easy and most importantly… it’s mandatory for a seller to even consider your offer.  You’ll want to build a relationship with a lending professional as well, and your Realtor can advise you on that process.  It’s best to have a pre-approval before you start touring homes, so that you know what price range to be looking in.  Plus, you don’t want to find the house you love and have someone else snatch it up while you’re waiting for a pre-approval.  A lender can also guide you in which loan option is best suited for you, and that will have an impact on which homes you should be considering.

3). Decide what you want! 
Make a tangible list of must-haves and can’t-stands.  This will allow you to easily narrow your search, and decide which properties to go take a look at.  Along the way, you might realize changes in what you need or don’t want…be sure to relay those to your real estate agent.  Soon enough, you’ll walk into that home that has already been “pre-approved” by your standards, and know that it’s the one!  Make sure your realtor has a clear understanding of what is important to you, so they can find the best options and weed out the ones that won’t fit.

4). Make an offer! 
You have found the house, now your Realtor will draw up a contract for you to sign and then present it to the sellers.  Once the sellers accept your offer, your Realtor’s job is to guide you through the necessary steps to get you to a seamless settlement.  Don’t worry if you have questions or don’t understand every detail…that’s why you’re using a Realtor!  They’ll take care of the details for you, and keep you informed about what’s going on.  Day of settlement, you get the keys to your new house and then the fun begins!

Owning real estate is one of the best investments you can make.  With any questions or thoughts about this blog entry, please don’t hesitate to email, text or call me.  I’m here and happy to help!