Buyers
Are you considering buying a home? Here’s what you need to know:
The market is always changing… there’s never a “wrong” time to buy, but many clients still end up paying more than they need to or not getting the home they want. Why? They’ve chosen an agent with little to no training or area knowledge, or without their buyer’s best interest in mind. Many buyers have unrealistic expectations of what they can afford or simply don’t know what they want. Buyers should select a licensed REALTOR® with the skills necessary to help them select the right home. Allow Ariel Starke, REALTOR® to advocate for you and guide you through the buying process.
Ariel Starke, REALTOR®
Determine what you are looking for:
When you start your home search, you’ll want to decide:
What will your perfect home look like?
How many bedrooms? Two stories? Fenced yard? Do you want to be near the golf course? Music venues? Do you need a neighborhood with a swim-tennis feature, or are you more the country-living type? High rise with a view or craftsman in the suburbs? Make a list of everything you’d (reasonably) want, with the most important features highlighted.What do you want to spend?
Look at your finances and come up with a number you’d be comfortable paying each month. Don’t forget to set aside a small buffer for other expenses that come with owning a home like repairs and taxes. Once you have that number in mind, talk to a lender. That link will take you to Stephanie McAllister, an awesome mortgage consultant who can take your monthly budget and translate it into what that looks like for an overall amount you’d be spending on a home. You might be surprised to learn that you could be paying less for a mortgage than you were on rent.
2. Start looking at the options:
This is the fun part!
Matches send straight to your inbox.
Once you’ve determine what you want (see step 1!), Ariel will set you up on a custom search that will send you an email each time a home match comes on the market (or less frequently if you prefer). Gone are the days of scouring Zillow or driving around looking for “For Sale” signs. Whether you’re at a PTA meeting, on vacation, or working hard, you don’t have to worry that you’ll miss a new listing. 0ur system will ping you with each new match. Explore the home with a virtual tour, and use Google maps to see how far the house is from your job or favorite places. From there you can decide if you’re ready to go see the property!Drive the neighborhood.
Once a home match arrives in your client portal, take a few minutes to drive the street on which the home is located. See if you can catch a neighbor out walking, and ask what they love about the area. Locals will give you the good, the bad, and the exciting. If you’re just in love, we will go see the home in person.
See the home in person or via live virtual tour.
If your health and schedule allows, the next step is to go visit the home. Should you be concerned about health safety in light of current COVID-19 events, we are always happy to show you the property via live video tour.
3. Let’s get you home!
Make an offer.
If you are ready to take the plunge on a home you love, this is your final step. I will pull all the data for you to ensure we offer a fair price based on market statistics. We will discuss the terms of the offer and send it on over to the seller.
Closing process:
Each home and each transaction are different! Trust that Ariel will guide you through this process every step of the way. We will be constantly in touch about what funds are due when and the important dates and deadlines.