Home Buying Process

At Ideal Real Estate we are committed to helping you find your perfect new home! We live in, work in, and support the communities we service. Because of this there is no one better to give you all the area expertise and advice during your home buying process.

 

If you are thinking about buying a home, you will want to carefully choose the real estate professional you work with. You should commit yourself to working with one Realtor who can learn your likes and dislikes in homes and make your home-buying process more efficient. You should choose a professional who specializes in the type of real estate you are buying and who has specific knowledge of the local real estate and mortgage markets. The real estate environment is constantly changing….is it a Buyer’s market or a Seller’s market?  This makes a difference in the strategy and approach you take when placing your offer on a home.  The real estate professional you choose should also be someone who you like spending time with.  You and your agent will become a team throughout the home buying process so make sure you feel comfortable with your agent and are confident that he/she will put your needs first. Service first should be the motto of the professional you choose, with services going above and beyond what you expect and need.

 

Shopping for a home can be overwhelming and stressful. Where do you start?  Some people think the internet will give them all the answers, but there is so much more to buying a home than a quick Zillow search and a house showing.  All home Buyers should be informed and prepared. We are here to guide you and assist you every step of the way! Here is a summary of what you can expect when working with an Ideal Real Estate professional….

 

PLANNING CONSULTATION

Doing some preliminary planning before you begin your home search will make the entire process more manageable and less overwhelming. As part of the planning phase our real estate professionals will want to learn more about your search criteria, priorities, timeline and budget.  Our agents can also help you start your financing process by referring you to a local lender if you still need to be preapproved for your home purchase.  They will also answer any questions you may have.

 

MORTGAGE PREAPPROVAL

A lending professional can help “pre-qualify” you for a mortgage before you start house-hunting. This process includes analyzing your income, assets and debt to estimate what you may be able to afford on a house purchase. A Pre-approval letter is required when making an offer on a home as it reassures the Seller that you qualify for the home loan and will be able to close on their home. Once you have been preapproved you are ready to begin your search!!

 

PROPERTY SEARCH / VIEWING PROPERTIES

Making sure you end up with the right home involves figuring out exactly what features you need, want and don’t want in a home. Before starting your search, you should make a “wish list” to decide which features are absolutely essential, which are nice “extras” if you happen to find them, and which are completely undesirable. The more specific you can be about what you are looking for from the outset, the more effective your home search will be. Also, keep in mind that in the end every home purchase is a compromise.

 

Once our agent has a good understanding of what types of properties you are looking for they will set up an MLS Search with your customized search criteria.  You can also still search properties on your own, but just make sure to let your agent know if there are properties you want to view or obtain more information on.  Your agent will sometimes have more knowledge and disclosures about a property than what you view online. Another reason why home searching with one of our real estate professionals is so important! 

 

If you want to start your own real estate search, we also offer as part of our website an option to receive daily emails with new and updated listings from the towns and price range of your choice. CLICK HERE TO RECEIVE DAILY EMAILS. This allows you to never miss a new listing as it will be sent to your email as soon as it hits the market if it matches your search criteria. And don’t forget to contact your agent when you see something you like!

 

When you see a property you want to view, your agent will work with you and the Seller’s agent to schedule a convenient time for an in person viewing.  We all work hard to be responsive and flexible so that you never miss an opportunity to view a home you are interested in.  If your agent is unable to accommodate a convenient time there is always another licensed team member available to cover! Our agents are also happy to preview a home for you should you be unavailable to view the home.

 

MAKING AN OFFER

Having an experienced agent who knows the market is critical as you navigate through the offer process.  Especially in a highly competitive market, your agent will have valuable advice and different strategies that may make the difference in the Seller’s acceptance of your offer.  Your agent will do everything they can to negotiate the best possible deal on your behalf. After your offer acceptance we would also provide you with referrals and guidance to complete attorney review of your purchase and sale contract, schedule inspections and begin the process with your mortgage/lending company.  

.

COMPLETING AND NEGOTIATING INPSECTIONS

Once the offer and purchase and sale contracts are signed you should perform a structural, mechanical, termite, radon and water (if applicable) inspections on the property (at your expense).

Your home inspection should be conducted by an independent licensed inspector. It is extremely important to hire a reputable inspector so that you know exactly what you are buying. If the inspector finds any issues with the property, your agent will work with you to present any reasonable inspection concerns or requests to the Seller of the property. Again, your agent will be working for you to make sure that if the contract needs to be renegotiated you do so within the allowed timeframe for inspections.

 

MORTGAGE APPROVAL AND CLOSING

Post inspections you should continue to work with your lender to get all necessary documents for your mortgage approval.  Also your lender may likely require you to get an appraisal of the house you want to buy in order to make sure it is worth the money that you are borrowing. One of the other lender requirements will also be to obtain homeowners’ insurance to protect both your interest and theirs. Like everything else, be sure to shop around for insurance with competitive pricing and that fits your needs.  Our sister company, Ideal Insurance is available to help as well.  You can feel free to click on this link to request a homeowners insurance quote.

 

Once your mortgage is fully approved, you are now ready to begin finalizing your moving plans.  Be sure to contact all utility companies for the property so that they can be transferred into your name. Make sure you remember to do this as there could be re-connection fees if there is an interruption in service.  Finally, your Agent will schedule an appointment for a complete walk through of the property (usually the night before closing).  Once you sign your paperwork with your Attorney, the home is yours and you are ready to move in!  After closing your agent will always be available should you have any questions or need any professional service referrals while settling into your new home.

 

If you are ready to begin your home buying process, CONTACT US!  We would love to get you on your way to your dream home!

 

Contact Information

*
*
*
*
*
Privacy Policy
*
*
*