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Buyer Roadmap
1
Meet With Me,
Your Realtor
We will start by discussing the type of home you are looking for, including style, price, and location. We will also talk through your likes, dislikes, must haves, and specific search criteria. Once we decide that I am the right Realtor to help you, we will sign an agreement solidifying our fiduciary relationship.
The Buyer's Advantage:
The Buyer's Advantage: As a home buyer, you need someone to represent you in your real estate transaction. Hiring me to represent you is a step in the right direction. I will use my experience, skills, and knowledge to make your transaction as smooth as possible. You will also have access to a team dedicated to your success.
2
Get Pre-Approved
You will need your driver's license, bank statements, tax returns, W-2s, and pay stubs. Knowing what you can afford is critical to a successful home shopping experience. It is important to speak with a lender early in the home buying process so we can build a search based on your actual mortgage qualifications.
Established Relationships:
I know experienced lenders in the industry and can connect you with multiple lenders best suited to meet your specific lending needs.
3
Establish Buyer's
Representation
This is when we establish a formal relationship. We enter into a Buyer's Representation Agreement, where I agree to use my knowledge and skills to assist you in purchasing a home, help you negotiate the purchase, and comply fully with the terms of the agreement. In exchange, you agree to work exclusively with me in purchasing a home, inform others that I represent you for the purpose of buying a home, and comply with the provisions of the agreement as well.
Your Fiduciary:
This agreement establishes my fiduciary responsibility to you. That means confidentiality, full disclosure of any information I receive that could benefit you in a negotiation, and putting your interests above my own throughout the process.
4
Search for Homes
This is the fun part. I will schedule showings and help you find the perfect home. Our goal is to help you find a great home while making sure you do not miss out on anything or pay too much. We use a process called the Funnel Process to accomplish this. The idea is simple: we start by putting every home that might work for you into the funnel, so nothing gets missed. Then we filter out the properties that do not fit your criteria until we are left with your best options.
Advanced Search:
Not all real estate websites are the same. I have tools and systems in place to make sure you see every available home that meets your criteria, not just the ones that happen to show up in a basic search.
5
Make an Offer
I will prepare your offer based on the price and terms you choose, helping you determine a strong offer price using details about comparable properties in the area. Along with the offer, you will provide earnest money as consideration. This typically ranges from $1,000, or 1% to 2% of the offer price. I also recommend including an option period, which usually runs about 10 days and costs around $100. This gives you the unrestricted right to terminate the contract for any reason during that window. Both the earnest money and the option period are presented to the seller as part of the offer, along with the proposed closing date, any additional items you want included, and contingencies that protect your interests.
6
Negotiation and
Contract
I will walk you through your rights and responsibilities under the contract. It sometimes takes a few rounds of back and forth to get the terms right, but that is a normal part of the process. During the option period, you will have time to have the home inspected. A typical home inspection costs between $300 and $600, paid directly to the inspector of your choice, and this fee is non-refundable. Once the inspection is complete, we will negotiate any needed repairs into the contract until we reach an agreement both sides are comfortable with.
The Contract:
In most cases, the contract gives you a defined timeline to secure financing as well as time to inspect the physical condition of the home before moving forward.
7
In Escrow
Once you and the seller have agreed on price and terms, the home is effectively held for you until closing. During this time, it is important to follow your lender's direction closely to keep everything moving smoothly toward the finish line.
8
Final Details
This is when we order the appraisal and review the final terms with your lender. Appraisals typically cost between $400 and $600 and are non-refundable.
Preparing for Closing:
During this stage, you will be finalizing your loan, reviewing documents, and discussing any findings from the inspection. I will be managing this entire process closely so you do not have to juggle it all yourself.
9
Closing
This is the moment everything has been building toward, the transfer of funds and ownership. A title company or an attorney typically acts as an independent third party to facilitate the closing and make sure everything is handled correctly.
