The 9 Steps to Home Ownership

If you are needing help in getting started in looking for a home, we can help you get pre-qualified for a mortgage loan. Pre-qualification is a written statement from a loan officer indicating his or her opinion that you will be approved for a mortgage loan up to a certain amount. The fact that you are pre-qualified will help us when we are negotiating the deal.

As we tour the homes, I'll point out both positive and negative features. I'll ask you to tell me what you like and what you don't like. You'll probably amend your "wish list" as some things become more important than others.  With each revised list, we'll refine our search criteria to narrow in on the house of your dreams.

As we tour houses, I'll let you know when the asking price has negotiating room and when the house is "priced to sell". My unique market knowledge will keep you a step ahead of the "house hunting competition".

In a "seller's market". It is not unusual to see multiple offers on a property, full-price offers and even above-price offers. On the flip side, during a "buyer's market" there are more houses for sale than buyers. This gives us more negotiating room as houses are taking longer to sell.

The offer is normally presented with "earnest money". This is in the form of a check generally made out to the escrow company (or real estate company), who do not cash it until the contract is finalized. The amount is applied to closing costs. If the seller accepts the offer, generally closing is held 30 to 60 days from the offer date (generally dependent on the turn around time of your mortgage financing).

Market conditions will play a role in how aggressively we negotiate the deal. We will also work within your limits. Emotions can lead to buyer's remorse. It is better to set limits prior to negotiating an offer and stick to these limits.