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THE HOME BUYING PROCESS:
If you’re serious about buying a home, whether it’s your first home or your family’s dream home, all you need to do is give me a call.
When it comes to working with buyers, I use a simple and guaranteed-painless five-step system. My goal is to make the process as simple and effective for you as possible
STEP ONE is for us to sit down together and discuss your alternatives. We’ll set an appointment to have an informal, relaxed, person-to-person discussion about what it is you’re looking for in a home, and just as important, what you’re not looking for.
Then we’ll go to STEP TWO, which is evaluating your purchasing capacity, and determining the right kind of financing package for you. This is a pain-free process! The reason I do this before we look at homes is that many times I can save you time, and eliminate properties that don’t fit your purchasing parameters. In addition, by going through this pre-qualifying step, you’ll be in a better negotiating posture when we do find the home you are looking for.
In STEP THREE, we’ll actually go look at homes, which we’ve selected together with the aid of state-of-the-art computer information. I can even send you pictures and descriptions of the homes to your e-mail address for you to review at your leisure. The home buying process should be fun, like the ultimate shopping trip, and should include everyone in your family if possible.
Because I take the time to listen carefully to your wants and needs in advance, finding the perfect home will not take as long as you might think. In fact, it shouldn’t take us more than a day or two at the most.
In STEP FOUR, once we’ve found the perfect home, I’ll answer all your questions and give you all the specific details that you need to make a decision. Then I’ll negotiate the purchase with the seller.
When we have reached a fair purchase agreement, we can go to STEP FIVE and actually transfer ownership of the home to you, and get you comfortably moved in.
There are many details involved in getting the sale closed, and it requires a great deal of communication with a lot of people. My role during this step is to see that all these details are handled quickly and professionally on your behalf.
Yes, purchasing a home is a big undertaking, but it doesn’t have to be a hassle, especially when we work together through the process. Should you decide that you’d like to purchase a home, you can count on me to handle all the details, from home inspection to termite inspection to home warranty to financing to title insurance and more. Throughout the entire process, I’ll work at your pace, and you’ll be making all the decisions.
If you’re serious about buying a special home, at a special price, maybe I can make a suggestion that will save you a lot of time: Don’t waste your time searching through ads. On any given day, only a small percentage of all the available properties are being advertised, so you really can’t get the full picture. And the really special homes are often not advertised at all.
Instead of making that mistake, why don’t you give me a call? We’ll sit down together and find out what you’re looking for. And when that special home is available, you’ll be the first to know about it.
There are a lot of ways to go about finding a home, but by far the best way is to give me a call, tell me what you want, and let’s take it from there. It really is a no hassle proposition, and all you need to do is call. Call me at (602) 686-3852.
And even if you’re not quite sure you’re ready to purchase a home right now, I invite you to give me a call. You;ll find by working together on a direct basis, you’ll have a better chance of finding that one special home you’re looking for in the future.
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DO’S & DON’TS BEFORE BUYING A HOME
DO…
· Save up money for a down payment and/or closing costs (the more money you have for a down payment, the less your loan amount will be and the better you look in the seller’s eyes)
· Pay off debts and much as possible (the less debt you have, the more house you can qualify for, usually)
· Get a copy of your credit report and clear up any discrepancies (you might be surprised to find odd charges to your credit report or old debts; by clearing them up now, you’ll save time later when you are getting a mortgage)
· Tell model home centers and open houses that you are working with a REALTOR® (me!); better yet, call me beforehand and I’ll go with you
· Make a list of likes and dislikes in a home (this will help me find the perfect home for you and also weed out the “dogs”; this in turn will save you a lot of time when looking for a home)
· Write down questions you have about buying a home (I have the answers)
· Call Leif!
DON’T…
· Visit model homes, new homes, or open houses without Leif (when you visit model homes, they will ask you to sign their register book; by doing that, you are waiving your right to be represented by a REALTOR®; better to call me before you visit those places)
· Change jobs to a different line of work (remain in the same field if you must change jobs)
· Change jobs if it is commission-based (mortgage lenders will calculate your commissions over the last two years; if you start a commission-based job, the lender cannot predict your future earnings)
· Change jobs if you work less than 40 hours/week and receive an hourly wage (mortgage lenders cannot calculate your income accurately with the new job, but they can average your earnings with your current job)
· Change jobs if you want to be self-employed (wait until after you buy the home)
· Change your business from a sole proprietorship to a partnership or corporation
· Make major purchases of any kind (don’t buy anything that will create debt such as cars, furniture, electronics, computers, vacations, jewelry, appliances)
· Buy a car! (a car payment will seriously affect your debt-to-income ratio and could undermine your ability to qualify for a mortgage)
· Panic (the process of buying a home does not have to be painful or frustrating)
Happy house hunting!
