“If I were asked to name the chief benefit of the house, I should say: the house shelters daydreaming, the house protects the dreamer, the house allows one to dream in peace.”
— Gaston Bachelard
There’s a lot to buying a home. It all comes down to finding the right place for you and making sure all your needs are met. What follows is more-or-less the process you follow as you prepare to buy.
Assess Your Needs
Sitting down and making a list is one of the first things you do as a buyer. What are you looking for? What is an absolute deal breaker? What are you flexible on? This list usually takes the form of a wants / needs list. Everything on the “Needs” side — that’s what you share with your agent for your search. These are dealbreakers. If the house doesn’t have something on the needs side, you don’t even go look at it.
Get Pre Qualified
Talk to a lender early in the process. The “Needs & Wants” list is okay to have ink drying as you pick up the phone and call a lender. These pros need to be involved early. The great thing is that they don’t cost you a dime until you close on your house.
For your pre-qual,
you’re getting financial naked in front of the lender.
They will see everything.
As uncomfortable as it may be to disclose everything about your financial stability, here are some things to remember. 1) The lender is going to find out, so you may as well tell them up front. 2) These pros can walk you out of destroyed credit and into your new house in a matter of months. 3) Lenders’ credit-repair services are FREE. They get paid to make a loan, so they’re very interested in getting you qualified.
If you don’t know who to call, you should contact a knowledgeable Reatlor, who will make suggestions on excellent lenders they’ve worked with. Now…who do you know that’s an awesome agent? Oh ya, me! Call me, and let’s talk! 801-210-0230
Interview Agents
Yes, I said “agents” … with an “s”. You need to feel comfortable with your agent. They’re going to help you through one of the most challenging financial obstacle courses that most Americans ever face. Talk to them. Find out how they work. Make sure they’re competent. Do they offer guarantees? Find out what they are. Find out how they work around the competition. You’re going to spend some good time with this agent. Make sure you see eye to eye.
Schedule a One on One with Me!Learn The Finer Points of an Offer
The offer is the biggest tool in the buyer’s toolbelt. You have to make an offer to get a house. There are relatively few points that HAVE to be in the offer, but you want to know how each point affects the transaction. More importantly, you need to understand the risks associated with each piece of a contract. Your agent helps you to make knowledge-driven decisions about what to include or exclude from your offer.
Many buyers go through several offers before they get an offer accepted. They’re super happy when it happens! However, there’s more to buying a house than getting your offer accepted.
The Inspection
The “Due Diligence” window allows the buyer to get into the property to test drive the house. Are all the major systems working? Are there structural or safety issues? Does the sunset hit the master bedroom window just so? All these questions can and should be answered with an inspection.
The Appraisal
The inspection certifies that the house is free of major problems. The appraisal is for the lender to guarantee the value of the home to collateralize the loan. While they are similar in some regards, they’re not the same process. Sometimes the buyer can do some negotiating with the seller to make sure the price is commensurate with the property.
Your agent gives you advice, protects you from legal vulnerability, keeps track of your deadlines, lines up all your professionals, negotiates on your behalf, cheerleads you when you need it, provides therapy when you need it, smiles the entire time, and somehow remains your friend for life.
— Tyler Cazier, Co-Founder of Hive Real Estate Collective,
the hottest real estate team in Utah.
Closing
After everything is said and done, you’ll meet at the title office to sign all the paperwork. Once everything is signed an recorded, you own the house! Then it’s celebration time!
Give me a phone call to get this process started for you. 801-210-0230. You can also tell me about the house you want to buy here: