Home-Buying Turned into Ten Simple Steps

Real Estate Tips
March 28, 2017

Sometimes the difficulty and complexity of the buying process can be horribly frustrating. So many home-buyers wish that the whole thing could be as easy as a game of Monopoly but sadly, it usually does not work that way. However, trying to make it appear more simple, Realtor.com has prepared a road map of the home-buying process divided into a ten-step process. These are the things you typically need to be aware of a prepared to do when buying a home:

Choose an agent: find an agent that you are comfortable working with by asking for referrals from your friends and family. Pick one that communicates well, has your best interest at heart, and puts you first.
Find a lender: ask your agent to recommend a lender to you, they will have a lot of experience and can help you make the right choice.
Clean up your credit score: now that you have a lender, you will be able to get guidance on improving your credit report.
Apply for mortgage pre-approval: having a pre-approval letter in your hand will greatly strengthen your offer on a home that you like!
Create a home wish list: after getting pre-approval you will have a better idea of what you can afford. This way you can come up with a list with a few ‘musts’ and a few ‘wants’.
Search the listings: take tours of all the homes that interest you and narrow down to the ones that meet your wish list.
Make an offer: pick the one that you love most and your real estate agent will help you through the offer process.
Get final mortgage approval: once your offer is accepted, you will be able to work with your lender to get final approval for your mortgage.
Do your due diligence: get your home inspection done and, if there are issues, negotiate with the current owner to either fix them or cut costs.
Attend the closing and be prepared to sign a ton of paper work!