"Let the Buyer Beware" is a phrase made for real estate.  Don't enter into any transaction until you feel comfortable with the entire decision-making process.  Don't be rushed or pushed into making a decision you're not ready to make.  Buying a home is a step by step process and should be interesting and satisfying.

To assist you in making the best decision, at our first meeting we will walk you through the buying process.  We will explain every aspect of the home buying process; why to buy, why not to buy, and how to buy.  Here are some highlights of the process:

Obtain Financing 

Know what you can afford, get recommendations from friends and your real estate agent for a local lender, then contact one of the following:

Your Bank

Mortgage Broker

Credit Union

Select one of these entities to provide you with a "Lender's Letter" approving you for a loan.

Ask your Lender for a Good Faith Estimate, which tell you what your loan rate will be and how much you should expect to pay monthly. 

Find a knowledgeable Real Estate Agent

Of course that would be us.  A real estate agent is best prepared to assist you in finding the home you want.  We will listen to understand your needs and work tirelessly to achieve them. Think of us as consultants: we know the houses, the streets, and the neighborhoods, and our clients.

Find a Home

Since any house is an extension of ourselves, the search for a home becomes a personal and important process. We take this very seriously and we'll be looking at homes, both with you and while you are otherwise occupied. Constant communication and interaction is vitally important to the process.

Make a offer

Writing and negotiating an offer involves many issues; deciding on the purchase price,  home inspection, financing, and settlement date as well as other possible contingencies. These are known as the "terms" of the contract and once these are agreed to by both the seller and buyer, the next phase of the process begins.

Marching to Settlement

Home inspections

Valuable to both the buyer and seller, home inspections will present possible issues with the house that the current or future owners will have to deal with.  Establishing how to and who takes care of these issues is an important part of negotiating the contract.

Appraisal

After the home inspection, the bank will conduct an appraisal to ensure that the house value matches (or exceeds) the potential purchase price. 

Settlement Costs

Normally settlement costs are approximately about 3% of the sales price for the Buyer, but your lender and settlement company can provide you exact costs.

 

Buyer Tools
Neighborhood Information
Mortgage Calculator

Estimated Seller Settlement Costs

Buyer's Knowledge Base

Buyer Representation
Compensation
Closing

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Special Note: Of Necessity, much of the information in this library is general and may not apply to your particular circumstances. Therefore, contents must be considered as "informational" only and should not be relied on for making decisions regarding your transaction. For decision purposes, please depend upon your RE/MAX Allegiance Associate.