~ Preparing for your Purchase ~
- Sit with a mortgage professional to find out what your borrowing power is…and what sort of payments you are comfortable with.
- Get pre-qualified up to that amount.
- Start looking for properties.
- Identify 1 or more properties that you like.
- Have your real estate agent draw up an offer with specific terms that correlate with your needs.
- Know that upon submitting any offer, regardless of whether it is full price, the seller may submit a counter offer making changes on timelines and contingencies within the contract.
- Once buyer and seller have a meeting of the minds for the established contract, escrow can be opened.
** Note that as stated in an offer, there is an earnest money deposit that is due at this point and time. Depending on what sorts of terms have been agreed upon, will depend on the amount of that deposit. Standard practice is generally $1,000.00 but do keep in mind that this can be a negotiated factor. - Upon buyers and sellers agents opening escrow, we begin the process of getting all pertinent documents to you as a buyer. Such as a title report, scheduling a survey or staking, getting a termite inspection, having a home inspection completed (out of pocket fee of 300-600 dollars depending on square footage of home), making sure that your financing is being taken care of…..all of these aspects have a documented deadline that is highlighted within the purchase contract. It is up to us, to make sure that you as a buyer are satisfied with the information that is provided, and if not, that we find remedies to any problems, issues, repairs, that may need to be done.
- Upon you, the buyer receiving any documents, you are given a specific amount of days in which we, (your agent and yourself) review the documents to make sure that they are understood and approved. In some instances, an extension of a specific timeline is needed, and can be granted if both buyer and seller mutually agree.
- Note that through the escrow process you will be sent documents that need to be filled out and submitted back to the escrow office. These documents include how you would like to take title, what type of title insurance you would like to have, and towards the end of the transaction process, we will make arrangements to go and see our escrow officer for you to sit and sign the deed, as well as any loan documents. Upon this happening, we are days away from closing.
- Standard time frame for a purchase is 45 days (with financing) can be as little as 20 days if it is a cash purchase.
- Note that all contingencies noted within a purchase contract are negotiable. From price, ttimeframe for closing, who pays for what, and if specific furnishings or appliances are to be included in the sale.
**Remember, this is your deal. We are simply here to help you make it happen in an efficient professional manner and wade through the legal muck.
