Here are 12 steps to Home Buying. Each one is important in making your decision to being a home owner. Some of these steps may have to be done more than once.
#1. Determine – Your wants and needs. Yours needs are more important than your wants. You may want 4 bedrooms but 3 will do. Make a list of both and decide the really important ones.
#2. Pre-Approval – Contact your mortgage broker. They will discuss your current financial situation and determine the amount of mortgage you would be approved for. This is a very important step.
#3. Contact – You will need to find a way to get information on properties that might suit you. Contacting a Realtor is the best way. They will sit down with you and go over your needs and want list.
#4. Tour – The Realtor you choose will set up a time for you to go and physically tour some homes. You may see something the first day that excites you or you may see nothing at all. Both of these situations are important.
#5. Re-Evaluate – The needs/wants list may be too aggressive or not aggressive enough. Your sights might be set too low or high with your financial abilities. (Step #4 and #5 may have to be taken a few times.)
#6. Market
Evaluation – When you find a home that you think will work for you, your Realtor will prepare a Market Evaluation. This is a list of all the homes currently for sale, homes that have recently SOLD and some homes that were on the market and did not sell (expired). This helps determine if the price the seller is asking is reasonable in today’s market.
#7. Offer – This is where pen comes to paper. An offer is written. (Contract of Purchase and Sale). This has, among other things, the price you are willing to pay, the dates you want to pay and move in, the subject conditions (financing, inspection, etc.) and the things you want included in the price.
#8. Negotiate – Now is the time for you Realtor to help you get the best price. They will take your offer to the Listing Realtor and/or Seller and present your offer.
#9. Fulfill – Once you have agreed on terms and conditions in the contract, you will need to work on fulfilling the obligations in the contract. You might need to hire a Home Inspector or have the home appraised by the financial institution. Once these are fulfilled you must sign a subject removal making the home yours!
#10. Lawyer/
Notary – You will need to choose a lawyer or Notary Public to do your conveyance. This is when the title to the property is transferred into your name.
#11. Get Ready
to MOVE – Now it is a waiting game. You will move into your property at 12 noon on the possession date (unless otherwise specified on the contract). While you are waiting you will need to have all your utilities and insurance put on the property.
#12. Move In – On the assigned day you can physically move into the property. This is the day you have been waiting for. ENJOY!
