We acknowledge that purchasing a home marks one of life's significant financial and emotional milestones, and we're here to guide you every step of the way.
Buy Your Next Home
Embarking on the journey of buying a home is an exhilarating yet intricate experience. In this modern real estate landscape, navigating the process can be time-consuming and costly without a comprehensive understanding and the right resources.
Specializing in advocating for the best interests of buyers in the vibrant Greater Seattle area, I offer a suite of high-quality services designed to save you time, and money, and elevate the overall experience.
As your largest investment, purchasing a home is a significant decision. Whether it's your dream home, a starter home, or an investment property, leverage my expertise as a local market authority in Greater Seattle.
Let's make well-informed decisions at every step, ensuring a seamless and enjoyable journey in today's dynamic real estate environment.
The Home Buying Process
Steps to Buying a Home
Click each step for further information.
Step 1: Save for a down payment The down payment is the initial payment made when buying a home, and it is typically a percentage of the total purchase price. The remaining balance is covered by a mortgage loan from a lender. The down payment amount can vary, but it is often around 20% of the home's purchase price. Keep in mind that a higher down payment may result in lower monthly mortgage payments, while a lower down payment may require additional mortgage insurance.
Step 2: Find a great real estate agent Your real estate agent will be your main ally during the home buying process. Besides finding and showing you properties, your agent will help you make offers, negotiate contracts, and navigate the closing process. Plus, they can recommend other service providers like title companies and inspectors to help you buy your home.
Step 3: Get preapproved for a mortgage A mortgage preapproval letter is an offer to lend you up to a certain amount of money to purchase a home. It shows sellers that you are a serious buyer who is financially qualified to make an offer on a home. You don't have to decide on one lender right now. In fact, you should compare interest rates and preapproval amounts from several lenders to make sure you're getting the absolute best terms when you buy your home.
Step 4: Start home search Searching for homes is the fun part of the home buying process! You'll get to look at a variety of homes and discover what you really want in a home. Make a list of everything you want in a home and prioritize them. At the top of the list should be the items that are most important to you. This will help you separate your "must-haves" from your "nice-to-haves." Your agent can help you understand if your wants are realistic for your budget and favorite neighborhoods or if you need to rethink what you're looking for.
Step 5: Make an offer Once you find a home you love, it's time to make an offer. Your real estate agent will help you write a compelling offer that gives you the best shot of convincing the homeowner to sell to you.
Step 6: Inspections and appraisals Inspections and appraisals are an opportunity for you to better evaluate the home's condition and value before officially purchasing it. You may have an opportunity after this step to renegotiate the terms of your contract with the seller if something unexpected pops up.
Step 7: Close on your new home! On closing day, you'll meet at your title company to complete some paperwork and settle your closing costs. You can expect to spend about an hour reviewing and signing legal documents, including: a) Your final loan application b) The deed c) The mortgage promissory note d) The disclosure statements e) Make sure to read each page carefully before signing. All information must be accurate for a clean title transfer. Once you're finished with your paperwork, you'll pay your closing costs to the title company. The company will distribute the payments to the correct recipients on your behalf.