Buying a home is one of the most exciting milestones of your life. To prepare yourself for this moment, you need to know what to expect during the process. This step-by-step first time buyer’s guide created by your agent will help reduce the stress of buying a home and help you enjoy the journey as much as possible.
First, we’ll dive into what your dream home looks like and why you're exploring purchasing real estate. I’ll send you my “Dream Home Questionnaire,” where you can tell me your must-haves (location, size, style), your deal breakers, and what aspects of daily life in a home are most important (commute, yard, layout, etc.). Your answers help us define clear priorities so we can focus on homes that truly fit your lifestyle and long-term goals.
Before talking to a lender, decide what monthly payment feels comfortable for you. Pre-approvals often exceed what buyers actually want to spend, which is why doing a full household budget first is essential. Think about added costs you may not be used to yet, such as utilities or HOA fees, so you have a realistic picture of what homeownership will look like.
You can shop for homes on your own, but having an agent costs you nothing and removes a lot of stress. I’ll help you identify the right properties, arrange showings, and guide you through the offer process. With my market knowledge and your dream-home criteria, we’ll focus on homes that truly fit your needs so you can feel confident when you find the one.
This should be the most enjoyable step of the entire process (other than moving in!). I will arrange showings of homes you’re interested in that are within your price range. Take notes about what you like and don’t like, and make sure to pay attention to details. Turn light switches on and off, open and close doors, and run the faucets in various rooms. Don’t limit your inspection to the home itself. Make sure to take time to explore the neighborhood and keep an eye on traffic at certain times of the day, the parking situation, and how close it is to necessities like schools and grocery stores.
Once you have selected the perfect home, work with your agent to craft a fair offer based on the value of comparable homes on the market. Depending on what the home is listed at and whether the current environment is a buyer’s or seller’s market, your offer may be below, at, or even above the asking price. I will be able to help you negotiate if you receive a counteroffer and reach an agreement. At this point, the house will go into escrow.
In most cases, your offer will be contingent on having the home inspected to ensure there is no major structural damage or large repairs needed. I can help you arrange this, and you can schedule it within days of making an offer. If there are no major issues, the process goes to step eight. If there is, you can renegotiate your offer based on what needs to be fixed, or you can withdraw it.
Now is the time to go back to the mortgage lender who pre-approved or pre-qualified you and choose your mortgage. You will be presented with various options based on your unique financial situation, including fixed-rate, variable-rate, 15-year, 30-year, or special programs such as VA loans or FHA loans. Work with your mortgage lender to select the option you feel
the most comfortable with.
Your lender will have your new home appraised so they have their independent value of it. The appraisal is to ensure that all parties involved are paying a fair price for the house.
No one looks forward to all the paperwork involved in buying a home, but it’s a necessary part of the process. Fortunately, everything will be arranged by your lender and title company and, when you’re finished, you’ll know you are the legal owner of your new home.
After signing the final paperwork to complete the purchase, you are now the owner of a new house. It may take a few days for your loan to be funded once the paperwork has been returned to the lender, but once that check is delivered to the seller, you’ll be all set to move into the home of your dreams.
Kenzie is known to be obsessed with this industry. She possesses both the emotional intelligence and the professional poise that is critical to be successful in this field. Her constant communication sets her apart as well as her drive to continually go above and beyond.
