9 Steps to Buying A Home

It seems obvious, but it's good to note that the first step to buying a house is making the decision. Consider the reasons you want to buy in the Tampa Bay area and how long you want to live here. Perhaps you want to purchase investment property?  Does buying make good financial sense? Can you afford a house that will meet your list of requirements? A good rule of thumb is your mortgage payment should not exceed 1/3 of your net monthly income.  WRITE ALL OF THIS DOWN!

I will help you get pre-qualified for a mortgage loan. Pre-qualification is a written statement from a loan officer indicating his or her opinion that you will be approved for a mortgage loan up to a certain amount.  Keep in mind that although you may be pre-qualified for a specific amount, we will be looking for homes that not only fit your criteria, they will usually be lower than that amount but sometimes can even be slightly over that amount.  Getting pre-qualified will help us when we are negotiating the sales price.

After our initial meeting, I will search all my resources for properties on the market within the area or areas that fit your criteria.  I strongly advise you to do your own research on real estate consumer websites such as Zillow, House Hunt, Realtor and Trulia so that you can begin to get a feel for price ranges in the areas and neighborhoods you are considering.  You can obtain lots of valuable information, such as average sales prices for subdivisions and zip codes as well as recent prices of sold properties, demographics and crime statistics. I also highly advise you to drive around neighborhoods in the areas you are considering which will give you a good idea of the condition of homes.  Your own research will certainly help you pinpoint not only what you can afford but also in what locations.

Once you indicate you are interested in viewing specific properties, I will schedule appointments to tour houses at times convenient for you.

As we tour homes, I'll point out positive and negative features. I'll ask you to tell me what you like and what you don't like. You'll probably amend your "wish list" with some things becoming more important and others less important. With this new information, I'll refine our search criteria to narrow in on the house of your dreams.

Based on your "wish list", I also may make suggestions of areas you may not have considered.  We have many hidden desirable neighborhood gems in the Tampa Bay area.

As we tour houses, I'll let you know when the asking price has negotiating room and when the house is "priced to sell". As your realtor representative, my real estate market knowledge, instinct and diligence will provide you solid options for buying a home, keeping you ahead of other potential buyers, which is especially important.

In a seller's market it is not unusual to see multiple offers on a property, full-price offers and even above-price offers.  I personally feel the market is balanced and not necessarily an advantage for sellers or buyers. Even though we may not necessarily be in a buyer's market like 2012 - 2013, there are still ample opportunities to negotiate and find the right home at the right price!

I'm confident that together we'll find your dream house, whether it's located in St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Dunedin, Largo, Seminole, Gulfport, Pinellas Park, Safety Harbor, Palm Harbor, New Port Richey, Clearwater Beach, Oldsmar, Treasure Island, Madeira Beach, Redington Shores, in a specific neighborhood you desire, or any other city in Pinellas, Pasco or Hillsborough County.  When we do, I'll put together the purchase offer, tailored for your needs, including appropriate contingencies (such as obtaining financing, favorable home inspection, clear title, etc.).

The offer is normally presented with "earnest money". This is a cash deposit made to a home seller to secure an offer to buy the property. The amount is applied to closing costs. If the seller accepts the offer, generally closing is held 30 to 60 days from the offer date, depending on the turn around time of your mortgage financing.  Keep in mind, when dealing with bank owned foreclosures or "short sales", this process is often significantly longer.

Market conditions, as well as how motivated a particular seller is, will play a role in how aggressively we negotiate the deal. We will also work within your limits. Emotions can lead to buyer's remorse. It is better to set limits prior to negotiating an offer and stick to these limits.

During the closing period, you will be working with your mortgage lender to close the loan. Since you pre-qualified for the loan before starting your home search, you will be that much closer to the end. I'll gather the necessary property information your lender will need to close the loan.

You will receive a "Good Faith Estimate" of closing costs at the time the loan application is submitted to the lender. The estimate is based on the loan officer's past experience and may not include all the closing costs. I will review the "Good Faith Estimate," answer questions and identify any missing costs and inaccurate estimates.

Congratulations! It's time to move into your new home in the Tampa Bay area!!  As your licensed real estate agent, I'll also provide assistance in any way, including a checklist to help you remember the numerous details, that will make your moving day a pleasure.

Begin your search right here on my site via the buttons on the left side of the page!  You can check my own personal listings, my broker's office listings and even Search for homes throughout the Tampa Bay area.

Let's get started to find you the right property for your needs!

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