Steps to Buying a Home

1. Find the Right Real Estate Agent
A real estate professional has the know-how to guide you throughout the process. They have access to the Multiple Listing Service (MLS), knowledge of the home buying process, negotiating skills and familiarity of the area.

2. Determine how much you can afford
Decide on how much you are willing to pay for a home; you will be putting a 20% down payment and what amount of other debt you may have.

3. Get Prequalified and Pre-approved for your Mortgage
It’s good to know how much you can actually spend for a home before you start looking

4. Start looking for your home
Make a list of your needs and wants and the location where you want to live. Then start looking at homes in your price range. Taking notes or having a check list can help you remember everything about each home you visit.

5. Make an Offer
This is where working with a real estate agent can really help you. Their knowledge helps you to negotiate the price, and put together an attractive offer. Are there any contingencies? Will you require an inspection? These are the things your agent will help you with.

6. Get a home inspection
A home inspector will check the house for any unseen defects that you may want to negotiate to have fixed. No one wants to have any unexpected surprises after closing

7. Get insurance, appraisal and establish utilities
You will need to have homeowner’s insurance before closing. Also your lender may want an appraisal of the property to make sure of its value. You will want to give the utility companies your move-in date to establish service.

8. Closing on your home
This is the day you read and sign all the papers. And there will be a lot of them. But when you’re done you will be a homeowner and you get the keys and move in.