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BUY A HOME

FINDING AND BUYING THE RIGHT HOME IS A HIGHLY PERSONALIZED PROCESS, AND IT ALL BEGINS BY IDENTIFYING YOUR NEEDS.

  • The values, interests and priorities you want this move to support

  • The features you are looking for in a home

  • How a neighborhood can best match your needs and lifestyle

  • How the homefinding process will need to be tailored to fit your plans

  • The support you expect to receive from your Realtor®
     

LOOK AHEAD TO THE HOMEFINDING PROCESS

The following questions will help identify how finding and buying a home can be an enjoyable experience for you.

  • What is your timeframe?

  • Who will be included in the homefinding and buying decisions?

  • Thinking of previous homefinding experiences, what were the most positive features of those experiences?

  • Were there any unpleasant features of your previous homefinding experiences that you hope to avoid this time?

  • What are your expectations of me as your Realtor®?

  • What specific services and support do you expect?
     

DEFINING YOUR IDEAL HOME

The property you buy will be much more than a house; it will be your home. The following questions will help us find your ideal home:

  • How many people will be living in your household?

  • What would you consider a comfortable commute?

  • What are the most important activities for the members of your household?

  • What is something you disliked about the house or area where you lived previously?

  • What are one or more features you liked most about homes you’ve lived in previously?

  • What are the “must have” features of your ideal home and neighborhood?
     

HOMEFINDING PROCESS

Finding a house typically includes many of the following elements. Your Realtor® will be your resource and guide every step of the way.
 

YOUR SINGLE SOURCE FOR PROPERTY INFORMATION

As your Realtor® I have access to virtually every property for sale in this market, and I will show you the homes that best match your requirements including:

  • All homes marketed by our network members

  • All properties listed by other brokers through the Multiple Listing Services (MLS)

  • Properties not yet on the open market

  • Many properties offered by “For Sale by Owner”

  • Properties advertised in newspapers or buyers’ guides

  • Properties advertised on the Internet

  • Open houses

  • Properties displaying “For Sale” signs
     

HOW TO LOOK AT HOMES

Discovering the right home should be an exciting event. As your Realtor®, I'm committed to making your home search as stress-free as possible.

  • Identifying up-front what is affordable

  • They will select only those properties that most closely meet your unique needs and interests

  • They will schedule time to look at homes and neighborhoods

  • You can use the Homefinding Worksheets your Realtor® give you to evaluate each property

  • To help your Realtor® find the right home for you, they will ask you to share your thoughts about each property you see – the positives and negatives

  • Your Realtor® will continue to assess your needs and buying criteria
     

SUBMITTING AN OFFER

Once you have found the right property, the next step is to make the offer to the seller.

  • Determine the price you want to offer

  • Decide on financing

  • Decide on other issues that are important to you such as:

    • Items of personal property you want included

    • Home Service Plan, inspections, repairs, lien search, etc.

    • Closing date and possession

  • I will present your offer and negotiate with the seller through their sales professional for your best interests

  • Once you have reached an agreement with the seller, you will have a firm contract to purchase the home
     

IMPORTANT WAYS TO PROTECT YOUR INTERESTS

There are several ways to help support a trouble-free home purchase:

  • A written property disclosure statement from the seller will reveal any problems with the house and the surrounding area that you need to know about

  • Professional inspections can reveal structural, roof, termite and other problems with the property that the seller will need to remedy

  • A home service plan can give you peace of mind by providing repair-or-replace coverage of major home operating systems and appliances

  • A preliminary title report informs you of any problems with the property’s title and a policy of title insurance protects your rights to the property

  • A walk-through before closing will allow you to make sure all required work has been taken care of and that the property is ready to become yours
     

COMPLETING YOUR HOME PURCHASE

  • It can take 15-90 days to complete all the steps involved in a home sale, depending on the complexity of the transactions. Your Realtor® will work closely with everyone involved in the transaction to help ensure that it moves ahead as smoothly as possible.

    • Explain to you in detail all the steps that will occur and answer your questions

    • Work with the seller’s broker to see that they fulfill their responsibilities under the contract

    • Stay in touch with the settlement officer, title officer, lender and others to help coordinate their activities and to help keep the transaction moving forward

    • Communicate with you on a regular basis so that you can stay informed and as worry-free as possible

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