Buying a home is one of life's most important investments and exciting adventures. Even experienced buyers, however, can find this complex process a bit overwhelming. We will guide you every step of the way. In addition to the crucial step of locating and presenting properties that match your search criteria, we will help you along the path between "I want this house!" and "I own this house!" Finding the right real estate agent can make all the difference in your home buying process, especially if you're a first time home buyer new to the whole process. A good Buyer Agent can steer you through the buying process and help you avoid costly mistakes. You should start your search by determining your price range, and how much can you afford. Each person's financial picture is unique and we'll be happy to put you in touch with a lender we trust to evaluate your buying power. Define your search parameters: Many factors influence the price that a seller expects to get for their home. While only you can decide how much you feel comfortable offering for a property, your Buyer Agent can gather critical information for you regarding the factors that impact how much you should consider paying for the home. These factors include: Being pre-approved by a lender can put you in a much stronger negotiating position, because it shows the seller that you are a committed buyer, financially capable of buying the property, and more likely to close on the property. Keep in mind that pre-approval is different from pre-qualification. Pre-qualification is merely an estimate of what you may be able to afford. Pre-approval occurs when the lender has reviewed your credit and believes that you can finance a home up to a specific amount. However, neither pre-approval nor pre-qualification represents or implies a commitment on the part of a lender to actually fund a loan. You may make your offer subject to certain terms or contingencies, including securing of financing or perhaps the sale of your current home. You may also make the contract subject to various inspections by both you and professional inspectors. Most contracts include some standard provisions, such as property taxes, insurance costs, utility bills, and special assessments, which will be prorated between buyer and seller. Others outline what happens either party fails to go through with the sale. We will review with you every aspect of your offer. You and your Buyer Agent will plan a strategy for getting the most advantageous terms for you - the buyer - at the price you are willing to pay for the property. Real estate contracts often contain contingency clauses that allow buyers to inspect the property. Certain inspections are required by lenders and others are a matter of observation and what is particular to a region or area. Which party pays for these inspections is negotiable. The two most common types of inspection are: A title search spells out who has the right of ownership for a property. It is considered "clear" if there are no claims or liens against it. In order to make sure nothing will prevent transfer of the property to you, a title company will conduct a title search and prepare a preliminary title report that indicates what recorded matters affect the title to the property and if the title insurance company is willing to insure the title. At the close of escrow, the title company will issue an Owner's Policy of Title Insurance to protect you against that might arise from covered claims on the title A home purchase is a complex transaction involving many parties and associated fees. In addition to your deposit and down payment, there are a variety of other costs involved in the close of escrow, including: The lender will provide a good faith estimate of these costs prior to the close of escrow, so that you will know in advance what to expect. Some of these costs may be negotiable items with the seller. Naturally, we'll walk you through each item in your good faith estimate to make sure you understand every detail