August 12th, 2018 9:17 AM by Christopher Terry
Growing up, most of us imagined living in a home that we owned. A home that we could decorate to our perfection, and a place with a big enough backyard for the kids and dogs to run free in.
For many though, it is hard to take the leap and buy a home. That is why here at E Z Home Search Real Estate we want to give you a comprehensive buying guide so that you don’t feel alone when you start the search for your perfect home.
In the last 3 parts (click here for part 1, part 2, part 3) of this guide we discussed the top reasons to buy a home, five tips that you should know before you make the purchase, and the process of picking a qualified agent. In today’s blog, we want to give you the 10 steps to buying a home so that you will feel well prepared when it comes time to purchase your dream home.
1. Get pre-qualified with a lending specialist
2. Shop for your dream home with a real estate professional
3. Choose a top 2 list-- this is a list of the top two homes that you saw during your house hunt. It is good to have two homes in mind just in case the sellers of your first pick accept someone else’s offer.
4. Place an offer on your first pick home
5. Be prepared for a counter offer
6. Sign and date the effective contract
7. Take note of the option period
8. Order inspections and negotiate repairs
9. Terminate or proceed with the contract
10. After final approval, go to closing to sign and own your new home
On top of the 10 steps listed above, you will need to consider the following costs. These are fees that you can expect to have to pay throughout the homebuyers process, so please plan accordingly.
• Earnest money – typically 1-5% of sales price - the amount of earnest money is negotiable and varies with the value of the property
• Inspection fee - $450 - $550
• Appraisal - $425-$525
• Credit report - $125
• Buffer money - $100 - $350
The thought of becoming a homeowner can be overwhelming. Our goal is to take the stress out of the unknown. We have additional FREE resources for you available in the buyer area of our website. Plus you can get a FREE copy of our insiders home buyers guide simply by visiting http://www.ezhomesearch.net/buyersecrets.
Do you have any advice from your own experience that you would like to add for future buyers? If so, comment below!