The 9 Steps to Home Ownership |
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Step - 1 Make the Decision to Buy |
| It seems obvious, but it's good to note that the first step to buying a house is making the decision to buy. If your a first time buyer
or a savvy investor consider the reasons you want a new house and write
them down. Determine how long you want to live in the new house - does
buying still make good financial sense? Can you afford a house that
will meet your list of requirements? A good rule of thumb is your
mortgage payment should not exceed 1/3 of your net monthly income. |
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Step 2 - Seek Professional Guidance |
| I'd like to schedule a time to meet with you to
hear the reasons you want to buy a house and your plans for the future.
We'll talk about neighborhoods, schools, economic factors liable to
affect the market today and tomorrow, as well as how you would like
your house and neighborhood to grow with you. At this time, I will also help you get pre-approved 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. I will put you in touch with several top lenders in Northern Virginia. They will go over the different loan programs and down payment options available to you. The fact that you are pre-qualified will help us when we are negotiating the deal. |
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Step 3 - Begin the Hunt |
| After our initial meeting, I'll search all my
resources for houses on the market that fit your criteria. I'll preview
these houses to eliminate the duds. Then, I'll schedule appointments to
tour the houses at times convenient to you. As we tour houses, I'll point out positive features 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 we tour houses, some things will become more important and others less important. With this new information, I'll refine our search criteria to narrow in on the house of your dreams. |
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Step 4 - Know the Market |
| My knowledge of the local market is an
essential factor in the house search. I'll let you know when the market
in a particular neighborhood is "hot" and requires immediate action or
when the market is "cool" and allows for thoughtful consideration. As we tour houses and you take notes, 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. |
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Step 5 - Find Your Dream House |
| I'm confident we'll find your dream house. When we do, I'll put together the purchase offer tailored for your needs including appropriate contingencies (such as obtaining financing, favorable home inspection, clear title, the purchase of a home warranty, etc.).
The offer is normally presented with "earnest money". This is a cash deposit made to a home seller to secure an offer to buy the property. 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). |
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Step 6 - Negotiate the Deal |
| It is not uncommon to receive a counter offer
when the initial purchase offer is submitted. Don't let this discourage
you. We will discuss the counter offer and decide whether or not to
accept the counter offer, submit our own counter offer, or reject the
counter offer and move on. 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. |
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Step 7 - Get a Loan |
| During the closing period, you will be working
with your mortgage lender to close the loan. Since you pre-qualified
for the loan before starting your home search, you will be that much
closer to the end. I'll gather the necessary property information your
lender will need to close the loan. |
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Step 8 - Close the Deal |
| You will receive a "Good Faith Estimate"
of closing costs at the time the loan application is submitted to the
lender. The estimate is based on the loan officer's past experience and
may not include all the closing costs. I will be glad to review the
"Good Faith Estimate," answering questions and highlighting missing
costs and estimates I believe to be low. |
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Step 9 - Move In |
| Congratulations! It's time to move into your new house and make it your home. Enjoy this exciting time. I'll give you a checklist to help you remember the numerous details that will make your moving day a pleasure. Start enjoying the biggest investment of you life. |
Make the Decision To Buy
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