Buying tips...

I’m really looking forward to helping you find that perfect home!

As I’m sure you’re hoping and expecting, home shopping is exciting and a lot of fun! But it can also be stressful and aggravating at times. If you’re like most buyers, you probably want to just get out there and see homes, right!?

To officially begin the journey, please give these helpful tips a quick read and refer back to them throughout the process of buying your home. While this list won’t get into every little detail about the process it does get into some things you should know about, which will save you time, effort, money, and heartache.

Again, thanks for choosing me as your REALTOR®. Remember, once we enter into a buyer’s agency agreement, I become your Accredited Buyer Representative (ABR®), which means I am able to represent you and your interests, not the seller’s, in the real estate transaction. My goal is to help you find the best home for your wants and needs and successfully get it at the best price possible.

Assess Your Credit and Finances- Financial considerations and preparations are central to any home purchase. In addition, to helping you make better decisions about what you can afford in a home, getting pre-approved for a mortgage puts you in a better negotiating position when it’s time to make an offer to a seller.

o  Verify your Credit Rating- identify & resolve any issues

o  Select a Lender- learn about mortgage loan options, interest rates, how much home you can afford, closing costs & other fees

o  Become Pre-Qualified or Approved for a home mortgage loan

Assess Your Wants and Needs in a Home- Finding a new home can be exciting. But deciding what you truly want and need- and within you budget- can be challenging. Making these decisions begins with setting priorities among many different preferences. Most home buyers invariably face trade-offs.

Search for Your Home- Choosing a home involves selecting a neighborhood. Although it’s important to consider future resale value, it’s also important to choose a home and neighborhood that you and your family will enjoy living in. The internet makes shopping for a home very easy. Websites such as KlapperichRealEstate.com and Realtor.com are useful.

Negotiate Terms- When you’ve found a home that’s right for you, it’s time to make an offer. Depending on market conditions, you may need to act quickly, before another buyer steps ahead of you.

o  Making the Best Deal – Your Accredited Buyer Representative (ABR®) can provide valuable assistance by counseling you on market conditions, price ranges, terms/conditions of the offer & negotiating strategies

Obtain a Mortgage- While you’ve already been pre-approved...now you need to actually be approved. This can take some time. You should get all your financial information and

required paperwork done with your mortgage company as soon as you’re under contract. Your lender will inform you as to the documents they’ll need in order to complete this process such as W-2 or 1099 tax forms, paycheck stubs, etc.

Prepare to Move In- Get homeowners insurance, transfer or set up utility accounts, hire a moving company or rent a moving truck, notify others of your address change, review closing statements to ensure accuracy and obtain dollar amount you may need to bring to closing; schedule a final walk-through visit with your REALTOR® to view property before closing day

Closing Day is Here- Congratulations! There will be lots of documents to review and sign. The closing agent will review and discuss all of these at length.

Celebrate- You’ve worked hard to achieve the dream of home ownership! I wish you many years of happiness in your new home!