Although there are many good reasons for you to buy a home, wealth building ranks among the top of the list. We call home ownership the best “accidental investment” most people ever make; however, we believe when it is done right, home ownership becomes an “intentional investment” that lays the foundation for a life of financial security and freedoms. There are solid financial reasons to support your decision to buy a home: equity buildup, value appreciation, and tax benefits are a few. Base your decision to buy on facts, not fears. If you are paying rent, you very likely can afford to buy. There is never a wrong time to buy the right home. All you need to do in the short run is find a good buy and make sure you have the financial ability to hold it for the long run. The lack of a substantial down payment doesn’t prevent you from making your first home purchase. A less-than-perfect credit score won’t necessarily stop you from buying a home. The best way to get closer to buying your ultimate dream home is to buy your first home now.

The typical real estate transaction involves at least two dozen separate individuals: insurance assessors, mortgage brokers and underwriters, inspectors, appraisers, escrow officers, buyer’s agents, seller’s agents, bankers, title researchers, and a number of other individuals whose actions and decisions have to be orchestrated in order to perform in harmony to get a home sale closed. It is the responsibility of your real estate agent to expertly coordinate all the professionals involved in your home purchase and to act as the advocate for you and your interests throughout the process. Seven main roles of your real estate agent A Buyer’s Real Estate Agent: Educates you about your market. Analyzes your wants and needs. Guides you to homes that fit your criteria. Coordinates the work of other needed professionals. Negotiates on your behalf. Checks and double-checks paperwork and deadlines. Solves any problems that may arise. Hiring the right agent is essential!

While you may find the thought of home ownership thrilling, the thought of taking on a mortgage may be downright chilling. Many first-time buyers start out confused about the process or nervous about making such a large financial commitment. From start to finish, you will follow a six-step, easy-to-understand process to securing the financing for your first home. Six steps to Financing a Home: Choose a loan officer (or mortgage specialist). Make a loan application and get pre-approved. Determine what you want to pay and select a loan option. Submit to the lender an accepted purchase offer contract. Get an appraisal and title commitment. Obtain funding at closing. We can work with any lender that you want, but if you need recommendations, we have some of the best in the business! Just ask.

You may think that shopping for homes starts with jumping in the car and driving all over town. And it’s true that hopping in the car to go look is probably the most exciting part of the home-buying process. However, driving around is fun for only so long-if weeks go by without finding what you’re looking for, the fun can fade pretty fast. That’s why we say that looking for your home begins with carefully assessing your values, wants, and needs, both for the short and long terms. Questions to ask yourself What do I want my home to be close to? How much space do I need and why? Which is more critical: location or size? Would I be interested in a fixer-upper? How important is home value appreciation? Is neighborhood stability and priority? What features and amenities do I want vs really need?

When searching for your dream home, you were just that-a dreamer. Now that you’re writing an offer, you need to be a businessperson. You need to approach this process with a cool head and a realistic perspective of your market. The three basic components of an offer are price, terms, and contingencies. Be realistic with your offer, as the seller will be assessing how fairly it reflects the true market value of the home. Your agent’s market research will guide this decision. The other financial and timing factors, as well as contingencies that you discussed with your agent  will be included in the offer as terms.

Unlike most major purchases, once you buy a home, you can’t return it if something breaks or doesn’t quite work like it’s supposed to. That’s why homeowner’s insurance and property inspections are so important. The property inspection should expose the issues a home might have, so you know exactly what you’re getting into before you sign your closing papers. We can use any inspector that you feel comfortable with, and have several that we can recommend to you. We want you to know as much about this property as possible. We will also order title insurance on your behalf to ensure there are no liens and the title is clear.

7. Close.

The final stage of the home buying process is the lender’s confirmation of the home’s value and legal statue, and your continued credit-worthiness. This entails a survey, appraisal, title search, and a final check of your credit and finance. You just have a few pre-closing responsibilities: Stay in control of your finances. Return all phone calls and paperwork promptly. Obtain certified funds for closing. Conduct a final walk-through. On closing day, you’ll sign documents that do the following: finalize your mortgage, pay the seller, pay your closing costs, and transfer the title from the seller to you in public records. We know two things that apply to every buyer: we know you are excited, and we know that you don’t buy houses everyday. We understand both of these well and we want you to know that we are with you every step of the way throughout the process. You’re in great hands.

8. Protect your investment.

Throughout the course of your home-buying experience, you’ve probably spent a lot of time with your real estate agent and you’ve gotten to know each other fairly well. There’s no reason to throw all that trust and rapport out the window just because the deal has closed. In fact, your agent wants you to keep in touch. Even after you close on your house, your agent can still help you: by making sure you have the right documents to file your first tax return as a homeowner, help you find contractors to help with home maintenance or remodeling, help your friends and family members with all of their real estate goals with buying and selling homes, and to keep you informed of your home’s current market value. Our team places relationships over commissions, and our goal is to help you make a great  investment of your resources. We thank you for your trust throughout this process.