The Key to Buying a Home This Year: Questions to Ask Your Real Estate Agent

What’s the First Step to Buying a Home?

Before you get too excited and start hunting around for a home on the Internet, the first steps you should take before buying a home are threefold.

It should begin with you checking your credit score, to give you an idea of what type of home loan you might qualify for. Next, you need to take an honest look at your finances and calculate how much house you can afford. Getting pre-approved for a home loan will also put you one step ahead of the crowd.

After you have a solid figure in mind, allow the real estate agent that you have chosen to help guide you through a list of possible homes within your price range. Be sure to select a real estate agent that you trust and communicates well.

Discuss with him or her what aspects of your ideal home are most important to you. Perhaps you desire a specific neighborhood or school district. Or, you might wish for particular aesthetic characteristics. Whatever the case may be, real estate agents specialize in locating what you desire, and making magic happen for you.

Can You Recommend a Good Lender, Inspector, or Appraiser?

When purchasing your first home, you will need to utilize various professionals during the process. Real estate agents often have an extensive network of connections.

If you haven’t already gotten a pre-approval loan, getting a recommendation on a lender from your real estate agent may really help bring you up to speed. When you find a home you are interested in, it will be very helpful to have both an inspector and an appraiser ready to go - especially in this hot market!

How Do I Compete to Win in a Bidding War?

Many buyers wonder what to do when they have found their ideal home but find themselves in a bidding war over it.

To begin with, if possible, offer the seller cash over financing. If this isn’t a possibility for you, make sure you can show proof that you are pre-approved to buy the home.

Another thing you should do is assess any contingencies that you have included in your offer. Contingencies are essentially clauses in your contract that allow you to back out after signing. One common contingency is that the house must pass an inspection. While some contingencies are needed to protect yourself as the buyer, there are some that we may be able to do without. Your real estate agent will be able to advise on the best path forward here.

Another smart move to win a bidding war is to offer earnest money. This is a deposit that you give the seller. Giving the seller earnest money shows that you are committed to purchasing the home.  

What Are the Closing Costs on a House?

Some people don’t realize that a down payment isn’t the only thing they need to bring to the table when purchasing a home. Closing costs are also part of the equation. They are essentially processing fees that you are required to pay to your lender. Closing costs may comprise as much as 3% to 6% of the cost of your home. This money owed is separate from your down payment.

Common types of closing costs include appraisal fees, attorney’s fees, and inspection fees.

What Are the Next Steps After an Offer Is Accepted?

Logically, after your offer was accepted, you may be ready to jump for joy! Before you do, let’s get real about what could happen next.

First of all, don’t be surprised if everything doesn’t go exactly as planned. You need to prepare yourself for the possibility that the house could have issues, you can’t obtain the type of financing you want, or your house was not appraised high enough to justify its price. Being prepared for possible outcomes will help you overcome any challenges that may happen throughout the process.

With that being said, here is what the schedule is like after your offer is accepted. To begin, your initial deposit is transferred. Next, all inspections on the home will be completed. Your lender will then choose a certified appraiser to assess the property.

Your loan approval deadline will then approach. You will do the final walkthrough of the home, followed by signing all of the documents and transferring the rest of the down payment. In the final step, the property deed is stamped and the house legally becomes yours.

Now it's time to celebrate!