Buyer Information

Whether you are purchasing a primary residence for you and your family or a beautiful vacation home in which to celebrate special events and enjoy relaxing vacations with relatives and friends, you have to decide what you wish to spend. A mortgage company may pre-approve you for more than you’re comfortable spending, or you may have adequate funds in your portfolio but not wish to pull them out. Make sure you remember to consider additional expenses such as real estate transfer and local property taxes, utilities, or HOA fees that could easily effect your budget.

Can you shop for, look at, and ultimately make an offer on a home without a real estate agent? Technically yes, but why would you when it costs you nothing for an agent to take much of the stress off your shoulders? Not only will we help identify properties you might be interested in, arrange showings, and ultimately handle the offer process, but we also have a knowledge of the market that you don’t possess. We may be able to save you time from considering certain homes or neighborhoods that do not fit your needs, suggest hidden gems, or give you pointers that will help you find your dream home for the right price.

Once you have selected the perfect home, we will work with you to craft an offer based on the value of comparable homes on the market. Some factors to consider are what the home is listed at and whether the current environment is a buyer’s or seller’s market. We can help you negotiate if you receive a counteroffer and reach an agreement. At this point, the house will go "under contract" or "pending".

Now is the time to go get your finances in order.  If you need to move money around, you have time to do it now. If you are getting a loan, you will be presented with various options based on your unique financial situation, including fixed-rate, variable-rate, 15-year, 30-year, or other special programs such as VA loans or FHA loans. Work with your mortgage lender to select the option you feel the most comfortable with.

No one looks forward to all the paperwork involved in buying a home, but it’s a necessary part of the process. Fortunately, everything will be arranged by your lender and title company and, when you’re finished, you’ll know you are the legal owner of your new home.