Basic Steps to Purchasing a Home

It doesn't matter if you are a first-time homebuyer or a repeat home buyer the process of purchasing a home is a financial and emotional decision that will go more smoothly with a team of reliable professionals to help you.

 Step 1: Get Pre-Approved
A Mortgage Loan Officer will pull your credit, review your financial documents, and if all checks out they will issue a pre-approval letter stating the price range of homes you can afford. Click here for the Checklist of Financial Documents Needed

 Step 2: Find a Realtor
Now that you know how much you can afford it’s time to start your home search. A local Real Estate Agent can help you find the right home in the right price range and location. Once you find that perfect home, work with your Real Estate Agent to submit an offer.

 Step 3: Home Inspection
After you submit an offer you will want to have the home inspected. A home inspection is an examination of the home by a professional to determine a home's safety, defects, and potential repairs. The inspection is well worth the money because it allows you to renegotiate your offer or withdraw it without penalty if the inspection reveals significant issues with the home.

Before the sale closes, you will have a walk-through of the house, which gives you the chance to confirm that any agreed-upon repairs have been made.

 Step 4: Work with your Mortgage Loan Officer
After negotiating and your offer is excepted you will have a contract on the home which means the loan process can begin. There are many types of mortgages and many types of borrowers with various mortgage needs but you don’t need to worry about that because your Mortgage Loan Officer will choose the best loan type for your situation.

 Step 5: Get the Home Appraised
The Mortgage Loan Processor will order an appraisal of the property. An appraiser will provide an independent estimate
of the value of the house you are buying. The appraiser is a member of a third party company and is not directly associated
with the lender.

 Step 6: Coordinate the Paperwork
As you can imagine, there is a lot of paperwork involved in buying a house. The Mortgage Loan Officer & Processor will handle all the paperwork and get it to a title company to make sure the seller is the rightful owner of the house you are buying.

 Step 7: Close the Sale & Get the Keys!
At closing, you will sign all the paperwork required to complete the purchase, including your loan documents.