Preparing to move to your new home

When buying a new home, there is usually not a large amount of time between mutual acceptance and closing. Typically its 30-45 days. You should start getting ready for the move as soon as possible. Here are some tips for getting ready for a successful move:

Don’t commit too early: If you have several contingencies, like an inspection, you may want to hold off on putting deposits down on moving trucks, for example, until after the contingencies are satisfied. This is going to depend a lot on timing, so just avoid committing to big expenses where you can’t get your money back if the sale is delayed or does not close.

Start packing early: Begin packing early and take your time. It’s much less stressful if you are not in a rush. Start with items that you use infrequently or won’t use for a while: seasonal clothing, holiday decorations, your fine china, etc. Starting early will also help you stay organized and give you time to acquire extra packing materials if you run out. Keep out your coffeemaker and other daily use items as long as possible. Pack them up at the last minute and mark the boxes clearly. Then you can unpack them first thing in your new place.

Time for a yard or garage sale: This is a good time to have a go at getting rid of ‘stuff’. The less stuff you have to move, the less it will cost to move it. Depending on your new place, your current furniture may not fit or may not be the right style. Have a garage sale or take unwanted items to a charity.

Have a party: Don’t forget to say good-bye to your neighbors and friends that you are leaving. This is especially important if you are moving far away. Take a day for a barbeque or an evening for a final open house.

Reserve movers/moving equipment: Reserve moving equipment or schedule the movers. Arrange things early to avoid last minute stress.

Schedule post closing work: Get bids and schedule any work such as painting and repairs at your new house for immediately after closing. Arrange to have all of the locks changed and to have the utilities put in your name.

Related topics

Check out the viewpoints and tips from other experts:

• How to prepare for a move
• Moving tips from Mayflower
• How to Move – from U-Pack

Do your due diligence prior to buying a new home

Probably the most important step you can take when buying a home is to do a good job of performing “due diligence”.  What do we mean by due diligence?  These are the steps that help you make sure that the home your are buying is what you expect it to be, and to help make sure unexpected problems don’t show up later.  It is virtually impossible to remove all risk, but performing common due diligence steps can greatly reduce any future problems.  Although there are other due diligence steps, depending on your individual concerns and the specific property, here are the most common steps a home buyer should perform (if working with a broker such as Tellus Real Estate Solutions, ask them for advice):

Home inspection: The single most important due diligence step is to hire a home inspector and have them do a thorough job of checking the home and its components. In Washington State, paid home inspectors must be licensed. A home inspector will check the basics: roof, siding, attic, basement/crawlspace, plumbing, electrical and HVAC (the furnace). The focus will typically be on safety issues more than cosmetic issues. A good inspector can tell you what is wrong and tell you what is typical for a house of that age and location. Many inspectors will provide rough estimates for repair costs, though that is uncommon. The inspector may recommend more inspections by experts such as engineers, electricians, or plumbers to provide you with a more detailed evaluation of specific repairs required.

Sellers’ Disclosure Review: Washington State law requires that home seller’s provide a disclosure of all known ‘material’ defects in the property. Buyers can waive the right to receive the disclosure, and may be required to do so by some sellers such as banks. Review the disclosure form and ask questions about any issues mentioned. If there is little information provided or no disclosure is provided, pay special attention to the home inspection.

Neighborhood review: In many ways, this step is as important as the physical property inspection. Introduce yourself to your new neighbors and get a feel for the neighborhood. Drive by at different times of the day, on weekends and in the evening so you that you are aware of the types of activities that are typical in the immediate area of your new home. Check with the police and fire department to find out if there are any known issues with criminal activity or vandalism. Do some research on the internet to find out everything from ratings of local schools to the location of registered sex offenders in the area.

Title review: As part of the sales process, the seller will have a title insurance policy issued that benefits you as the buyer. If you have a lender, you will issue a title insurance policy to them. The title insurance policy guarantees your ownership rights. As part of issuing the policy, the title insurance company will conduct a title search and then issue a report of their findings that lists any issues against which they don’t insure. These items are ones that somehow limit your ownership rights or indicate claims by other people on the property.

Common items are existing liens against the property for home loans, judgements, utilities or mechanics liens (liens from contractors or other service providers put on the property to guarantee payment). You will want to verify that these will be cleared up at closing and that the escrow company will take funds from the sale proceeds to pay all of these debts. You or your agent can do some rough calculations to make sure there will be enough money to do this.

Other issues are more difficult to clear up, or impossible. There may be an easement on the property for public utilities crossing the property. There could even be an easement that allows neighbors to walk across the property to access a lake or stream on the far side of your property. Some properties come with restrictions on how the property can be used due to zoning or other rules.

HOA Rules and CCR Review: Many properties are part of a Home Owners Association (HOA) or are located in an area with Conditions, Covenants, and Restrictions (CCRs). CCRs will show up during a title search and might limit your ability to use the land. They may say all lots must be of a minimum size or that any homes built must be a certain style or architecture. Previous owners may have sold mineral, water or development rights to other parties.

HOAs are neighborhood organizations with a legal right to set rules of conduct for a neighborhood. They may provide services, such as a public pool or maintaining common mailboxes. They can also set rules that limit parking of RVs/boats in front of your home. Some require committee approval for external remodeling or painting.

Appraisal: If you will be taking out a home loan or a line of credit on the property during the purchase, your lender will require an appraisal.  For cash sales, getting an appraisal is up to you.  The appraisal provides an objective opinion of the market value of the property.  Your lender will want to know that the property is worth enough money to make their investment in you and the property a safe one.  For you, the issue is wanting to know that you are not going into the purchase transaction buying a property that is worth less than what you are paying for it   An appraiser must have a specific license in Washington state. A real estate agent is not an appraiser (usually, at least) and can only provide a Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) or a Broker Price Opinion (BPO), which is not as detailed or formal as an appraisal.

Home owners insurability review: Be sure to share details about your prospective home with your insurer.  Insurance companies track claims on all properties. There are some types of claims which could make your property non-insurable or which might raise your rates. Also, other factors such as proximity to police and fire stations can affect your insurance rates. You will want to verify that your home can be insured, and for how much, early in the due diligence process.

Septic inspection: A septic inspection is a specialized type of inspection. It only applies when the property has an on-site septic system instead of a connection to a public sewer.  In Washington State, the seller will usually pay for the septic tank to be pumped and inspected. The inspector will verify, to the extent possible, that the system appears to be functioning properly.  There are many types of septic systems; some are simple and others are quite complex. During the inspection, the inspector can usually help explain how the system works to a new buyer . Always show up for the inspection or make sure you have a representative there. There have been cases when the septic pumping service never even showed up to inspect the system, but provided a bill for pumping and inspection.

Well water testing: If the home has a well, or is on a well shared with other owners, you will want to verify that the system pumps enough water and that the water quality is acceptable.  County health departments provide guidance and instructions on how to properly sample water and have it tested. Testing water flow can be more challenging. If in doubt, hire a well drilling company to come and verify that the system works appropriately and identify any steps that need taken if it does not. For shared wells, identify who is responsible for maintenance and be sure to obtain any reports that have been made available.

Buying your new home: making and negotiating an offer

Congratulations!  You’ve found a home you want to purchase!  Now, its time to make an offer and have it accepted. These are some tips and suggestions for how to form your offer and to negotiate terms that the seller will accept. We are not talking about making an offer that is accepted immediately with no negotiation. That is easy;  you just offer the seller cash equal to the amount they ask. Rather, our goal at Tellus Real Estate Solutions is to negotiate terms that meet your goals in buying a home.

Some of these tips are for the initial offer, but most apply to the entire negotiation process:

• Know what is important to you: List out the priorities from your home requirements and any other requirements that have come up while looking at the property. Note which things you must have and which things you are willing to give up during negotiations.
• Know what the property is worth: Check recent sold comparables and estimate the amount for which you think the property will appraise. This will help you recognize a good deal and to know when the seller’s asking price is actually reasonable. Expect your final price to be somewhere close to the value you estimated from sold comparables.
• Know what is customary in the market: Be familiar with the real estate process in your market. For example, trying to get the seller to pay for something that is typically the responsibility of the buyer is likely to cause a problem. Think about alternative ways to achieve the same affect, like asking for the seller to give the buyer a credit for their closing costs.  The result is the same, but it more closely matches local market customs.
• Come prepared: You should come pre-approved for a loan or have proof-of-funds ready if you are paying cash. Many sellers will simply reject offers that don’t come with this information. You should also be ready to move forward with inspections, feasibility, etc.  Sellers want buyers to move quickly once the contract is signed, so be sure your offer implies that you are serious and prepared.  Keep time periods for inspections, financing and other due diligence as short as possible, while still making sure you can have them completed on time.
• Limit the contingencies: The fewer contingencies the better, from the seller perspective. Don’t open yourself up to risk unnecessarily, but use only those contingencies you need.  For fixer uppers, land or other complex transactions, use a feasibility addendum as a blanket contingency.
• If the seller gives instructions, follow them: Many sellers, especially banks, give specific instructions about offers. Perhaps there are certain forms, escrow companies or title companies that need to be part of the offer. Unless there is a specific reason to negotiate on these items, don’t fight them.
• Ensure that paperwork is correct and complete: If you want an offer to be accepted without modification, make sure the offer paperwork is completely filled out, the dates are correct (make sure the year is right!), and the numbers make sense. Nothing will invite a counter offer quicker than forcing the seller or their agent to correct your paperwork.
• Respond to counter offers: If the seller doesn’t accept your first offer, don’t walk away.  At Tellus Real Estate Solutions, we feel you should always respond to counter offers, even if it means you respond with your last offer terms.
• Let the seller win something: Let the seller win some term on the negotiations. You can’t have a win-win negotiation if only one side can win.  This is easier if you know what is really important to you. Check with the seller or their agent to find out what is really important to the seller. They just might tell you.
• Make an offer!: The most important rule of all is “Make an offer”. A seller can never accept an offer you don’t make.

Once you have a list of the features and requirements for the home you want to purchase, you can begin your search in earnest. Don’t be surprised as you go through the search process to find that you will modify your requirements. You may decide that some features are more, or less important than you thought.  You may also find that a certain area in which you would like to live is more expensive (or less expensive) than you thought, requiring you to compromise or change your other criteria. Use the Tellus Real Estate Solutions search tools and My Listing Manager to conduct your web search.

Agent set-up searches

Brokers such as those with Tellus Real Estate Solutions have back-end access to the MLS databases. We are able to search on more data points and with more accuracy by working with the MLS backend because we have access to data the MLS does not allow to be published on public websites. We can also set up automated searches for you and have emails sent from the MLS system with updates. Because these searches are done directly in the MLS system you will be notified much more quickly than you would from local or national agent websites.

Previewing homes during your search

Once you’ve made a list of properties from your internet search that look good, its time to look at them in person.  There are several approaches to doing this.  If your list is long, we recommend using this list, in order:

• Drive by: Drive by the properties and see if they, and the neighborhood appeal to you from the street. Photos on the internet can often make a home look better than it does in reality.  Bad pictures can do the opposite.
• Open houses: Open houses are a great, low pressure way to see the interior of a home that looks interesting. Keep in mind that the agent at the open house is looking for clients to represent.  The easiest way to avoid an accidental commitment is to tell them you already have an agent. At the same time, don’t ask the agent to do a lot of work or follow-up unless you want to commit to using them as your agent. (Its just good etiquette.).  You can find out about open houses on the internet or you may find a notice on a yard sign.
• Agent showings: If you have an agent, you can have them arrange a showing of the property. You can request a showing directly from every listing your find on the Tellus Real Estate website. It is wise to try and arrange showings several days in advance. Some homes are vacant and can be shown on a moment’s notice, but others might require that appointments be made several days ahead of showing. Many agents prefer to schedule several showings around the same time.  At Tellus Real Estate Solutions, we may ask you to sign a representation agreement before showing you homes.
• Agent previews: If you have an agent, put them to work for you.  If you’re short on time and your agent has a good idea of what you like and don’t like, they can look at properties for you, and come back with a list that they feel will meet your needs.

When viewing homes, you should note aspects of the homes that you liked or didn’t like.  Use a spreadsheet or a notepad to track comparisons of different properties.  It can also be helpful to rate homes against each other, making a ‘stack ranking’ so you can decide what property you like the best. As you look at homes, review your requirements list and see if you need to make any changes. Add items or remove items as appropriate.

Website search tools

Below is a list of some of the major websites that offer search tools along with a brief description of how they compile their information:

• The local MLS (Muliple Listing Service): The modern MLS is an extension of an old practice. Real estate brokerages would share information with each other about properties they had listed for sale and offer part of the sales commission to other brokers if they brought a buyer. Over the years, this practice has been refined and formalized to the extent that the vast majority of residential real estate transactions happen through this system. The ‘nature of the beast’ is that for a given area, there is likely only one MLS. Almost every property available on the market, except for a few “for sale by owner” (FSBO) are in the system.  If you can search that system, you have access to the majority of available properties. It is the root source of almost all information available on the internet.
• Real estate brokerage firm websites: Tellus Real Estate Solutions, Century 21, Coldwell Banker, Remax, John L. Scott, Windermere). Real estate brokerage firms pull data from the local MLS for their websites. Multiple listing services, such as Northwest MLS, have rules for what data is available. This means that each company has access to basically the same information. Each company, including Tellus Real Estate Solutions, has a system for adding additional information to their own listings, so there may be more information available about listings that belong to that particular brokerage firm. Also, a brokerage may have the ability to list properties on their website that are not in the MLS. These are typically properties that the owner does not want listed publicly for whatever reason. Tellus Real Estate Solutions has this capability as well. Individual brokerages that are part of larger franchise systems, such as CENTURY 21, Coldwell Banker, etc., will also push their MLS data feeds to their national company websites. This means that most national websites will have this same information.
• Craigslist: Has taken the place of the traditional newspaper classified ad. It is one of the most popular places for buyers to look for local real estate, especially when looking for “For Sale by Owner (FSBO)” properties.  It is popular with both real estate agents as well as individuals and you will find properties listed by both. Although real estate agents are supposed to make it obvious that they are agents, some of them don’t; a clear sign of an unscrupulous agent. Craigslist is the best source of FSBO data. Craigslist does not let you save your searches
• Zillow.com: A large, popular national website that is a competitor to Trulia.com. It aggregates data from multiple sources, typically real estate agents and brokerages. It also pulls data from county websites to provide historical sale data.  Homeowners can post their home on the site for a fee, so you can find FSBOs here as well.
• Trulia.com: A large, popular national website. Trulia is very similar to Zillow.com. It aggregates data from agents and county websites also. It does not provide a way for homeowners to list their properties directly, so it its not much good for finding FSBOs
• Realtor.com: The public facing website for the National Association of Realtors, a professional organization focused primarily on the needs of real estate industry (and indirectly, property owners and buyers). It pulls data from its members, who are most of the brokerages already mentioned, so it reflects the contents of the MLS.
• Homefinder.com: Similar to Zillow and Trulia, but not as large. It pulls data primarily from real estate agent syndication (automatic data feeds from their websites or other tools) or direct input by the agents, so again, its the same as the MLS. The site allows sellers to post their home for sale directly.
• FrontDoor.com: Similar to Zillow and Trulia, but not as large. It is associated with HGTV. It gets its data primarily from real estate agent syndication (automatic data feeds from their websites or other tools) or direct input by the agents.
• HomeGain.com: Does not let owners to post their home for sale directly. Focused more on investors, this site pulls its data primarily from real estate agent syndication (automatic data feeds from their websites or other tools) or direct input by the agents.
• Propbot.com: Allows owners to list their FSBOs. It works more like creating a website and is marketed more to landlords and tenants. It pulls its data primarily from real estate agent syndication (automatic data feeds from their websites or other tools) or direct input by the agents.
• Hotpads.com: Specializes in map-based search tools. Owners can post their own properties, so it is a source of FSBO property information. It gets its data primarily from real estate agent syndication (automatic data feeds from their websites or other tools) or direct input by the agents.
• Oodle.com: oodle.com A classified ad website that looks a bit like Facebook. Posts can be more than real estate. It is location (city or neighborhood) focused. Data comes more from individuals, but real estate data is syndicated by agents also. So, you can find FSBOs here.
• Yahoo Real Estate: Yahoo’s real estate sub-domain. It provides both real estate and mortgage data, similar to Trulia and Zillow. It gets its data primarily from real estate agent syndication (automatic data feeds from their websites or other tools) or direct input by the agents.

Use the tools on the Tellus Real Estate Solutions website Once you’ve narrowed down the location and property type, you’ll want to start thinking about your limits with regard to your loan amount, down payment and estimated monthly payments. Use the Mortgage Calculator tool on the Tellus Real Estate Solutions website to estimate payments for the most common loan types.

Begin checking with lenders for the latest interest rates Check with lenders for the latest interest rates for the type of loan you are considering. You will also want to verify what the requirements are for your credit score, the amount of down payment needed, income requirements, etc. Be sure to check with several lenders, as no one lender has the best rates for all loan types and borrowers.

Check your credit score It’s a good idea to check your credit score before starting the process of securing a loan.  This way you can take care of any inaccuracies right away, or have time to clean up your credit if you’ve had some problems in recent history. The website www.annualcreditreport.com is the government mandated site for requesting a free copy of your credit report from the credit reporting agencies.

Create a budget Don’t just settle with the amount of loan, down payment or estimated monthly payments that the lender says you can afford. Think about your budget. Better yet, create a budget. Decide what kind of payment you are actually comfortable with paying. Download the Tellus Real Estate Solutions Home Buyer Budget spreadsheet to get started.

Obtain a pre-approval from your lender At the end of this process, you will want to obtain a pre-approval from the lender with whom you decide to work. Make sure the lender provides a pre-approval, not a pre-qualification.  The former requires they run a credit check and has more validity than the latter, which is based only on your statements to the loan officer.  With a pre-approval you will be able to provide specifics with regard to your home buying requirements including:

• The amount of down payment you are able to afford
• The amount of closing costs you are able to afford
• Monthly payments you are able to afford, which will include principal, interest, property taxes, home-owners insurance and any other fees such as Home Owners Association (HOA) dues
• The total loan amount for which you qualify
• The type of loan

Items included in a pre-approval will educate you or your real estate agent on the total price you are able to pay for a property from a lender perspective (down payment + loan amount), how much you are able to afford based on money needed for closing (down payment + closing costs) and the location and type of property based on loan type. As an example of the latter, FHA loans require homes to meet specific standards. Condominiums must have a special approval. USDA zero-down loans only apply in certain areas.  Fixer-uppers likely require rehab loans.

Buying your new home: decide what kind of home you want

Your search for a new home will be more successful if you form a good idea of what kind of home you would like to buy ahead of time. Here at Tellus Real Estate Solutions, we believe that you should start by looking at your personal requirements and then look at the numbers.

To educate first time home buyers on the buyer process, Tellus Real Estate Solutions regularly conducts a “Home Buyer 101” class at various locations throughout Puget Sound. Informative slides and handouts from one of our classes are available as downloads on our website here:

Here are some of the most common factors that a buyer should consider when deciding what kind of home to purchase:

Location, location, location The old adage about real estate being about “location, location, location” is true for many reasons, including the following:

• Commute time: How long do you want to spend commuting to your work? Drive times can be a significant factor in your decision as to where to purchase a home. If you need access to public transportation, that too can help direct your choice of location.
• Family and friends: You may want to remain close to family or friends, which will target the area where you want to search. Alternatively, you may decide, for whatever reason, that you want to be located a minimum distance from close family. Include this reason as you’re looking for your new home.
• Activities and social organizations: You may want to keep a club, team, church or other organization close enough so that you can remain involved.
• Schools or school districts: If you have children in school, you may want to make sure they are able to remain in their school. If your current schools don’t meet your academic needs, then you might decide that it’s okay to move out of the system. New parents or future parents should consider which school districts they would like their children to attend when they start school.
• Crime: Different cities and neighborhoods have different levels of crime. This may be an important factor for you.  Even when choosing a ‘safe’ city it is a good idea to check with the local police department or other sources of crime information to verify there are no issues for a particular property.
• Economic trends: What are the economic trends for a county, city or community? This could have a significant affect on the future value of your home, schools, crime, etc. Positive trends can make what seems a less desirable neighborhood at present a good place to live long term. Declining economic trends can make a great city at present become an undesirable location to live in the future.

Physical features What size and style of home will work for you? What features should it have on the inside and outside? Some obvious and not-so-obvious items to consider are:

• Number of bedrooms: How big is your family and how old are family members? Small children can share a room but that is harder for teenagers to share or when children are not the same gender. Will you have visitors who stay the night or who will stay for an extended period?  Having extended family, such as parents or grand-parents move in has become much more common. A general rule of thumb is that three bedrooms is the minimum for most families (one or two bedrooms being appropriate for single owners or young couples just starting out).
• Number of bathrooms: How many bathrooms do you need? Do you want a bathroom off the master bedroom?  Do you need toilet facilities that are easily accessible to visitors? Most new homes have at least two bathrooms with one part of a master suite and the other shared by occupants of other bedrooms. In two-story homes, its common to have at least a half-bath on the main level for guests.
• Lifestyle: What kind of lifestyle do you have? The layout and physical features of your home can have a significant impact on your lifestyle or at least how well your home fits your lifestyle.
  • Guests and entertaining: Do you have guests frequently or do you entertain? As mentioned previously, overnight guests may mean you need more bedrooms or bathrooms. The floor plan can also lend itself to entertaining or make entertaining difficult.  Open concept floor plans, with living rooms, family rooms and kitchens open to each other have been popular in recent years.
  • Children: Some parents might want to keep the bedrooms for small children close to them. Parents with older children may want the bedrooms of children to be as far away as possible for increased privacy.
  • Medical issues: If you have arthritis or some other medical issue that makes going up and down stairs a problem, you may want to consider a one-story home.
  • Pets: Do you have pets? You may want to make sure to have a fenced yard. You may also want to think about what kind of flooring makes sense. Hardwood floors may be easier to clean that carpet and make it easier to get rid of dog hair. Pets can also be rough on the home, so a more rustic home or one with an industrial feel may hide the affects better than a Victorian mansion.
  • Maintenance: How much maintenance do you want to do or do you have time for? Do you have the extra money to have someone else maintain things for you? New homes should require fewer repairs than an older home. Large yards require more upkeep than small yards. Different construction materials are considered low maintenance while others have specific guidelines for periodic care.  In some areas, basements are common feature that provides a cool getaway during summer heat, but in the Pacific northwest, basements are less common and are notorious for having moisture issues. Some buyers may enjoy remodeling their home on their own. Being able to add value and make the home just the way you want by upgrading a bathroom or kitchen may be ‘just the ticket’.
• Personal tastes: Every buyer has a personal sense of style and a set of personal preferences. You may love certain architectural styles and hate others. Hardwood floors may appeal to you or you love the feel of soft carpeting. A brick facade may remind you of the home you grew up in.  Or, perhaps you may have always dreamed of living in loft-style condo downtown.

Personal finances

Sooner or later you will have to figure out how much you are able to spend and how much you are comfortable spending on a new home. Its important to think about this after listing out the requirements for location and the physical aspects so that you can consider the type of loan you will need (assuming you need one).  For example, if your dream is to find a fixer-upper and remodel it, you will want to look at a rehab loan instead of a traditional loan. Location can also affect your financing options. Homes in some areas qualify for low-down or zero-down payment programs. Some communities may offer financing for low-income home buyers or for buyers considering buying a home in an economically depressed area. If you are targeting new construction homes, builders often work with lenders to provide special financing. Use our Home Buyer Budget spreadsheet to help you determine how much you are able to spend on your new home.

Your requirements list

Make a list of your requirements for your new home on a sheet of paper or download and complete our free Home Buyer Questionnaire and keep it handy. It will help you set up a search for your new home. It will also help you keep an objective viewpoint on that cute place you fall in love with as you drive up to the entrance.  Don’t forget to list the things or places you don’t desire as well.

Another good idea is to prioritize.  Its not often you find a home that will match your requirements 100%. Prioritizing will help you decide when the perfect floor plan outweighs the small yard, for example.

Check out what others have to say on this topic
Don’t take just our word for it. Take a look at these articles from other trusted sources for their point of view:

Motley Fool:  Pick Your Home Type

Digerati Life:  How Much House Can You Afford? 10 Steps to Determine Your Home Buying Budget

Trulia.com: 2010 Most Popular Home Features

Realtor.com: How to Choose a Home

Buying your new home: step-by-step overview

If you are a first time home buyer or if you have been out of the real estate market for a while, then you have come to the right place. Here you will find a step-by-step overview of the home buying process. Take a look at the home buying topics below and click the links for more detailed information on each subject.

Decide what kind of home you want to buy

Your search for a new home will be more successful if you form a good idea of the type of home you would like to buy ahead of time. It is also important to know what your limits are for a down payment, monthly payments and the loan amount. Here at Tellus Real Estate Solutions, we believe that you should start by looking at your personal requirements and then look at the numbers. Find out more.

Search for a new home

Once you have a list of the features and requirements for the home you want to purchase, you can begin your search in earnest. Don’t be surprised as you go through the search process to find that you will modify your requirements. You may decide that some features are more, or less important than you thought.  You may also find that a certain area in which you would like to live is more expensive (or less expensive) than you thought, requiring you to compromise or change your other criteria. Find out more.

How to make an offer and get it accepted

Congratulations!  You’ve found a home you want to purchase!  Now, its time to make an offer and have it accepted. These are some tips and suggestions for how to form your offer and to negotiate terms that the seller will accept. We are not talking about making an offer that is accepted right off with no negotiation. That is easy;  you just offer the seller cash equal to the amount they ask. Find out more.

Perform due diligence

Probably the most important step you can take when buying a home is to do a good job of performing “due diligence”.  What do we mean by due diligence?  These are the steps that help you make sure that the home your are buying is what you expect it to be, and to help make sure unexpected problems don’t show up later.  It is virtually impossible to remove all risk, but performing common due diligence steps can greatly reduce any future problems. Find out more.

Get ready for the move

When buying a new home, there is usually not a large amount of time between mutual acceptance and closing. Typically its 30-45 days. You should start getting ready for the move as soon as possible. Find out more.

Closing on your new home

The final step in the sales process is closing and taking possession of your new home. The actual closing process will be managed by an escrow officer or real estate attorney. Their role is to ensure that the appropriate funds change hands between all parties (buyer, seller, buyer’s lender and seller’s lender) and to make sure that title to the property is properly transferred. They act as a neutral third party to the transaction. Find out more.