BUYERS
1. LET’S GO THROUGH THIS TOGETHER…
As a buyer, one of the first things to know is your budget. Whether you are a cash buyer or getting a bank loan, you need to know your maximum spend limit. There is nothing worse than falling in love with a home only to find out it exceeds your budget.
If you are pursuing a loan, the first step is to get Pre-Approved. If you do not already have a lender, we have a list of wonderful lending agents/companies that we will gladly refer you to. You can talk with them and they can quickly determine your loan type. There are several types of loans and with little information to the lender; you will soon know your best option for financing. The Sibold Group is known for communicating with our buyers and their chosen lenders, and this will help you have a smooth finance process, without last minute surprises.
2. THE THRILL OF THE SEARCH…
Once you know your price range, then we can begin narrowing down your list of possibilities. This can be an overwhelming part of the process, but we will be glad to help ease the burden. We will set you up on our Multiple Listing Services (MLS) and depending on your wants and needs, we can fine tune your search using more than just the price. We can schedule home tours/showings and visits these together. It is very important to actually see each house of interest, as pictures can be deceiving in one way or another. We always recommend using your time beforehand to checkout neighborhoods or specific areas prior to scheduling a tour/showing.
Now that you know your budget and have your list of homes of interest, let’s go and see them. We can schedule showings/tours for you based on your schedule. More than likely, you will have strong feelings towards the houses you see, which is good! Emotions are good indicators, though you never want to make a move on such a large investment without feeling comfortable.
As we look through the houses, there are things that we as professional agents can assist you on. Though it is ultimately your decision, we will make sure you have as much information about the home as possible, the good and the bad. The condition of the home may be different than it appears, so it is important to know what you’re getting into.
When you do find “the one”, and you’re ready to make an offer, let us take care of the steps along with the proper paperwork and forms to submit. We can take a closer look into what the market is saying about the price and help you determine an appropriate offer price. Major points in the offer are price, contingencies, earnest money, closing date, inspection/due diligence periods, time limits, and details that specific loan types might require. We will keep you on track and communicate the necessary steps.
3. CONTINGENCIES
Contingencies are any “items” that the buyer/seller requires to be completed satisfactorily, prior to the buying of their home. These can be financing, inspection, appraisal or survey requirements. If a house is listed, “As-Is” you are still required to pay for a home inspection. Most lenders require inspections, but even if you are a cash buyer, you have the option to inspect the home. In most cases, repairs may be negotiated based on the inspection report. Again, we are here to walk you through the process and to provide you with as much information as you need in order to make this process as smooth as possible.
Offers may be accepted, countered or rejected. If your initial offer is “countered”, then we have the option of accepting, negotiating further, or rejecting the offer completely. No sale is “binding” until ALL parties have agreed and signed the sales contract. Once it is “binding”, the clock begins on time sensitive sections of the contract. (Day one begins the day after all parties have signed the sales contract)
With continued conversations with your chosen lender and us, we will help you stay on top of the loan process and communicate with the sellers and the title company on your behalf. Once you are “Clear to Close”, we will walk you through the final check list of action items prior to the signing at the close. We will help you from start to finish and even help you with setting-up your utilities, to changing locks/codes etc…