Buying a home is an exciting time in one’s life. Making the smart move of choosing a REALTOR® is your first step to ensuring that your new home and community meets your needs. Our services and experience range from financial aid to helping you find the home that best suits you and your family. We pride ourselves on repeat business and hope you’ll come to understand why.


WHAT CAN WE DO FOR YOU?


We understand that the options when buying a home are endless. It is our job to educate buyers on all possible options. We take pride in guiding you through the home buying process, from finding homes in your criteria to tour, to getting the best financing. We help make sure you don’t pay too much for your new home and help you avoid costly mistakes. This includes negotiation with the sales price, as well as with any home inspection discrepancies. From start to finish, we coordinate with lenders, title companies, home inspectors and appraisers to make the buying process as seamless as possible. We are available any time to answer any questions about the local market area, including schools, neighborhoods, the local housing market and more. You can also access this information using our community search tool, here.


BEFORE YOU START LOOKING…


Before you get stuck scrolling through hundreds of homes, check your credit rating to be sure you can even qualify to buy. If there are any errors, correct them before it’s too late. Determine a comfortable monthly budget for your new purchase, including down payment, monthly payment, HOA fees and any miscellaneous charges that may come into effect. Find a loan that meets your needs and get pre-qualified with Bay Capital Mortgage. Some agents may not set up home tours at all until the buyer is pre-approved. 


The agent interview process can be stressful for buyers and sellers. Finding an agent you trust can be tricky. Be sure you are asking the right questions before hiring. Even though it is of no cost to the buyer to hire, you still want to be sure you’re getting the most out of your agent. A few questions to ask:


How long have you been in residential real estate?
How many homes have you bought/sold in the area in the last year?
What is your strategy to meet my needs?
How would you keep me informed? How frequently?
What is your negotiation style?


WHAT IS EARNEST MONEY & HOW DOES IT WORK? 

After making an offer and getting an accepted contract, you’ll typically be required to put up an earnest money deposit. This money gets deposited into an escrow account to show the home owner that you’re committed to buying the home. The money in escrow is used towards the buyer’s cost to purchase and is held until settlement. This includes closing costs and/or down payment. In some cases, if the deal falls through, the buyers may be required to forfeit the deposit over to the sellers.

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WHAT TO EXPECT AT CLOSING…


As mentioned before, hiring a real estate agent is of no cost to the buyers. Commission is paid out by the sellers at the time of closing, however, the buyers are responsible for other fees. Lender fees include charges for loan processing, underwriting, preparation and establishing an escrow account. Buyers may request for inspections to be done on the home. These third-party fees can include charges for insurance, title search, home inspection, and termite inspection. Buyers are also responsible for half of the government fees, including deed recording and state and local mortgage taxes. Lastly, escrow and interest fees include homeowner’s insurance, loan interest, real estate taxes and occasionally private mortgage insurance.