Before shopping for a home, determine how much your budget allows you to spend. Consider your credit score, payment history, amount of down payment, and monthly and annual income, and calculate how much you can spend on a mortgage, insurance, and property taxes each month. Collect the necessary documents, such as W-2s and tax returns, and contact several lenders for preapproval and fee estimates. Once you choose a lender, ask for a preapproval letter to be presented with your offer to purchase a home. Many sellers will be more likely to accept an offer with evidence of a buyer’s preapproval.

We would appreciate the opportunity to guide you through the homebuying process. Buyers’ agents not only preview and show homes but also represent their clients throughout the entire transaction and serve as an advocate and offer emotional support through a sometimes complicated process. As your real estate agent; we will conduct neighborhood research, analyzes home prices, negotiate with sellers, and prepare documents, among other duties performed for home buyers. You can rest assured that we will do everything in our power to make your home buying process as smooth and stress-free as possible for you.

A home inspection is a contingency usually requested by buyers and stipulated in the offer to purchase. Home inspections are recommended to reveal any structural or other issues that may require action by the sellers prior to closing. Most real estate agents will recommend an inspector, but you may want to find one that friends or family members have used previously and who is licensed. Once an offer is accepted, the clock begins to tick and the inspection process happens quickly. Also, have an insurance agent identified who can quickly begin the process of initiating a homeowner’s policy and provide estimates on costs of premiums from several companies.