Get Prequalified
The first and most important step in the home buying process is to speak with a mortgage professional. Knowing that you qualify for a loan and determining what you can afford are absolutely key. Getting prequalified takes the guess work out of house hunting and allows you to structure your search to only the properties that are within your price range.
In addition to narrowing your search, loan pre-approval gives more weight to offers you make on a property. A seller is always more confident when a buyer has put in an offer accompanied with a pre-approval for a loan, especially when multiple offers have been made.
Find a Real Estate Agent
Once you have been prequalified, your next step is finding a qualified real estate agents in Taplow. Make sure you find an agent who is experienced, who will listen to your needs, and is knowledgeable about the area you want to buy in. Don’t be afraid to speak with several agents before deciding on one to work with. You must feel comfortable enough with your agent to speak to them honestly.
What Matters Most in a Home?
Now that you have been prequalified and found a real estate agent, you are ready to find the perfect property to let in Virginia Water. Most likely there will be hundreds of homes in your price range and the chances of finding the home that has absolutely everything you want are slim. Figure out what matters most to you in a home. Make a list of the things you cannot live without. This will eliminate wasting everyone’s time looking at properties that will not meet your needs.
Look at Properties
You have figured out what community you want to be in and what matters most to you when buying a home. Now it is time to take a look at the properties that fit your budget and your wish list. The first home you see will most likely not be the one you buy, and even if it is you will still want to look at some others to see what else is available. To keep from being completely overwhelmed, it is always a great idea to bring a camera and a notepad. Photos and notes help to prevent all the properties from running together at the end of the day!
Make an Offer
Now that you have found the home of your dreams it is time to make an offer! Once you decide a house is the one for you, your real estate agent will do a Comparative Market Analysis or CMA. This will give you the price range of properties sold and currently on the market in that neighborhood and give you a good idea of what you should offer. Don’t forget that when you make an offer, it will need to be accompanied by earnest money deposit, so bring your check book. Your offer will not be taken seriously without it. Having your pre-qualification letter will also go a long way to getting your offer accepted by the seller.
Once your offer has been accepted, your Realtor will continue to walk you through the home inspection, appraisal, and other steps which need to be done before closing. You need a Realtor who is experienced and knowledgeable, and that you can trust with one of the most important investments you will make in your lifetime!
