We understand that buying a home is one of the biggest purchases your will make in your life. It can be a stressful time with so many decisions to make.  Buying the wrong house can have life altering consequences.  That’s why we have a simple plan that will make the process seem easy.  Our desire is to serve as your guide bringing 20 plus years of real estate, construction, and remodeling experience to help you find a home that you love.

• We are advisors, not sales people. 

• We won’t put you in a home that we wouldn’t put our kids in! 

• We are not a volume based business. 

• When we work with you as a client, we are all in!

The first steps in preparing for the purchase of a home are finding a reputable lender and working with them to determine your financing parameters such as down payment, maximum loan and purchase price amounts. This will provide you with a base for making prudent decisions on the location, size and amenities of homes that will fit your budget. Some preferable locations may require you to compromise on size and amenities. Buyers who start viewing homes before working with a lender are often disappointed in homes that fit their budget after initially viewing more expensive homes. Completing the application process prior to “seriously” viewing homes, that is; with the intention of buying, is essential because selling agents will require a letter of pre-approval before considering any offer you may make.  If you have a home to sell and the net proceeds will be needed for the purchase of your new home, meet with your agent to discuss your options.

Preparation is a key factor and assists your agent in compiling available properties that fit your criteria.

Based on the criteria you provide to us (determined in the loan approval process), we will set up an auto-email from our MLS data base to you. This email will include links to all listing that fit your criteria and will be sent to you either daily or as listings are added to the data base. Once we have reviewed, with you, listings that are of interest, we will schedule showing appointments.

While viewing a home, take notes to remind yourself of the home’s amenities and what you like or dislike. Your agent will point out positive and negative aspects of each house.

When we find a home that meets your criteria and aesthetic expectations, it’s time to move on to the next step.

Once we find your dream home, we will assist you in making an offer on the property. It may take one or more counter-offers to come to agreement on terms. Once your offer and contract are accepted, you will start the option period (if applicable). The option period is specified in the contract (usually 7-10 days) and allows a buyer to terminate the contract for any reason during that period. The buyer pays a nominal amount (option fee) for the right to terminate and the fee may be applied to the purchase price. During this time, the buyer may schedule a general home inspection and other inspections as needed.

Making a small investment in an inspection now could save you substantial money in the future. A few areas inspectors check are structural, electrical, plumbing, built-in appliances, safety hazards, septic systems, decks/patios, and exterior structures.

After the option ends, your lender may require an appraisal and survey of the new home. Your loan will go through the final processing stages and then closing.

Prior to closing, contact utility providers to have all utilities transferred into your name for the day of move-in or closing date (whichever happens first) Electricity, gas, water, garbage/sewer, internet, phone, TV services, and fill out an address forwarding card at the post office. 

A title company (specified in the contract) will perform a title search in order to ensure that you have unobstructed title to the property you are purchasing. They will issue an insurance policy to protect your title rights in the property. The closing (signing of documents/transfer of funds) will take place at the title company, unless other arrangements have been made.

Once closing documents have been signed and the loan has funded, the home is yours!