10 Steps to Buying a Home

1. Get Your Finances in Order—
Your credit reports are a continuing look at how you handle your finances. It’s important to know what your credit reports say about your financial history before you apply for a mortgage, reports can play an imperative role in the mortgage approval process.

2. Become Familiar with the Mortgage Industry—
Finding the right loan and lender is essential to home buying. Decide which lender is best for your needs, and familiarize yourself with the loan process before you speak with a lender.

3. Obtain a Pre-Approved Loan—
Do you know what you can afford? Unless you've already talked with a lender, probably not. Pre-approval can help you in other ways, too. Often times a home seller gets two similar offers. The seller is more likely to consider the party that is pre-approved.

4. Determine Your Wants and Needs—
Buying a home isn't as difficult as some may think, even if funds are short; however the process will go smoother if you are familiar with your real estate market. Narrowing down your wants and needs before you begin looking at houses will save you time.

5. Start Searching for a Home—
You will receive multiple listing sheets from your agent to study. You might also pick up house for sale magazines and read classified ads in your local newspapers. Surfing the Internet is another great tool. You might even plan drives to preview various neighborhoods. These are all excellent ways to see what's available. Take what you found back to your agent for help with the next step.

6. Handle Pre-Offer Tasks—
Deciding whether or not you want to buy a house involves a look at its structure and features, but there are many other areas that are just as important to your purchase. Your agent will know other topics you should explore before you make an offer and assist you in finding the answers.

7. Make an Offer—
Contact your agent and make them aware that you are ready to make an offer.

8. Home Inspections and Other Tests—
Talk with your real estate agent to determine when inspections should be handled and if other types of testing are important for your geographic location.

9. Avoiding and Correcting Last Minute Problems—
As your closing date nears, everyone involved in the process should check its progress on a regular basis. Staying on the same page means you'll know immediately if there's a problem that must be handled.

10. Your on Your Way to Closing—
At this stage most of your home buying problems are out of the way and you're ready to close.Ask as many questions as needed to help you understand the complete buying progression. Stay informed and understand what’s occurring every step along the way and it will make the long term commitment and the amount of money spent worth it.

Whether you are buying for the first time or this is your fifth home, Wanda will begin familiarizing you with the process so you always know what to expect.

Wanda takes the time to help educate you, the buyer, on what buyer agency is and how she can help you as a buyer’s agent. She can explain the difference between a buyer's agency and a seller's agency.

Next, she will discuss the importance of having your financing in place. Wanda requires the buyer be pre-qualified by a lender before showing properties so a price range can be determined. Wanda can help pre-qualify and match a buyer with a lender if needed. She will set you at ease and do everything possible to make the buying experience an enjoyable and memorable one. It is her intent to listen closely to what you need, want, and wish for in a home. Wanda can bring it all together, working hard to find you the home that will bring you perfect contentment and perfect comfort!

Wanda will take buyers through the process of the transaction, explaining the Offer to Purchase contract, the Real Estate Condition Report, and other forms that are part of the contract. She will discuss earnest money, deadlines, closing dates, move-in date, contingencies, the importance of a home inspection, and other available types of testing.

Once the Offer To Purchase has been delivered, the seller can accept, counter, or reject the offer. Clearly, the best thing for the buyer is for the seller to accept the offer! However, counters can be made by both parties until they come to an agreement. Wanda will help guide you through the offer process and help you write an offer that will take all parties to the closing table!

Buyers can always trust Wanda for guidance from the first time they meet her all the way to the closing table because she offers... just the kind of help you'd expect from a friend.