mY QUICK GUIDE TO BUYING A HOME

step 1. GET APPROVED

Unless you have cash, you will need a mortgage to buy a home.  Call a mortgage lender and do an application to see how much you are approved for. Don't waste your time looking at homes priced at $500,000 when you are only approved for $150,000.  You will be very disappointed making that switch and probably ruin your home buying experience. 

step 2.  know your wants vs your needs

You may want a fence because you have a dog, but you don't need a fence and can always add one.  Don't lose your dream home because there is no fence.  We can consider the cost of the fence during negotiations.  If you have 5 people in your home, what you need is a 2nd bathroom.

step 3. find a house

In the olden days, Seller's would call Realtors to list their house and Realtors would put the listing in a physical book.  This book would be shared by the office and everyone would look through it to find housing to view with their buyers.  Now we have the internet and immediate access to listings world wide. Realtors are not necessarily needed to find you a home, however we are needed to get you access to that home, to make sure your loan type qualifies for that home and negotiate the best deal on your behalf based off seller demands. In my opinion it’s a great idea for you to search homes and send them to me so I can see what you are interested in and if the details are in line with what will have a resale value, is affordable and works for you and your family.

step 4. negotiate

This is why you need a Realtor.  Do you know what an escrow is? or what an effective date means?  Do you know the difference between a loan approval and a loan contingency?  Do you know what the CFPB requirements are or what a FIRPTA is?  How about who pays the owner's title policy or special assessments?  Force Majeure or FinCEN?  Don't try to be a Realtor. I'm licensed and certified by the State of Florida and I would hate to see you end up in a lawsuit or lose an escrow deposit.