Your Home Search
We love helping buyers find their dream home. That’s why we work with each client individually, taking the time to understand their unique lifestyles, needs and wishes. This is about more than a certain number of bedrooms or a particular ZIP code. It’s about your life, and it’s important to us.
When you work with us, you get:
• Knowledgeable and professional REALTORS®
• Committed allies to negotiate on your behalf
• The backing of a trusted company, Keller Williams Realty
We have the systems in place to streamline the home-buying process for you. As part of our service, we will commit to helping you with your home search by:
• Previewing homes in advance on your behalf
• Personally touring homes and neighborhoods with you
• Keeping you informed of new homes on the market
• Helping you preview homes on the Web
• Advising you of other homes that have sold and for how much
• Working with you until we find the home of your dreams
The Mortgage and Loan Process
Funding Your Home Purchase
1. Financial pre-qualification or pre-approval
• Application and interview
• Buyer provides pertinent documentation including verification of employment
• Credit report is requested
• Appraisal scheduled for current home owned, if any
2. Underwriting
• Loan package is submitted to underwriter for approval
3. Loan approval
• Parties are notified of approval
• Loan documents are completed and sent to title
4. Title company
• Title exam, insurance and title survey conducted
• Borrowers come in for final signatures
5. Funding
• Lender reviews the loan package
• Funds are transferred by wire
Why pre-qualify?
• We recommend our buyers get pre-qualified before beginning their home search.
• Knowing exactly how much you can comfortably spend on a home reduces the potential frustration of looking at homes beyond your means.
Making an Offer
Once you have found the property you want, we will write a purchase agreement. While much of the agreement is standard, there are a few areas that we can negotiate:
The Price
What you offer on a property depends on a number of factors including its condition, length of time on the market, buyer activity, and the urgency of the seller. While some buyers want to make a low offer just to see if the seller accepts, this often isn’t a smart choice, because the seller may be insulted and decide not to negotiate at all.
The Move-in Date
If you can be flexible on the possession date, the seller will be more apt to choose your offer over others.
Additional Property
Often, the seller plans on leaving major appliances in the home; however, which items stay or go is often a matter of negotiation.
Typically, you will not be present at the offer presentation – we will present it to the listing agent and/or seller. The seller will then do one of the following:
• Accept the offer
• Reject the offer
• Counter the offer with changes
By far the most common is the counteroffer. In these cases, our experience and negotiating skills become powerful in representing your best interests.
When a counteroffer is presented, we will work together to review each specific area of it, making sure that we move forward with your goals in mind and ensuring that we negotiate the best possible price and terms on your behalf.
Frequently Asked Questions
How will you tell me about the newest homes available?
The Multiple Listing Service Website provides up-to-date information for every home on the market. We constantly check the New on Market list so we can be on the lookout for our clients. We will get you this information right away, the way that is most convenient for you: by phone and/or email.
Will you inform me of homes from all real estate companies or only Keller Williams Realty?
We will keep you informed of all homes. We want to help you find your dream home, which means we need to stay on top of every home that’s available on the market.
Can you help me find new construction homes?
Yes, we can work with most builders and get you the information you need to make a decision. On your first visit with the builder, we will accompany you. By using our services with a new construction home purchase, you will receive the services we offer, as well as those provided by the builder, at no additional cost.
How does for sale by owner (FSBO) work?
Homeowners trying to sell their home without agent representation are usually doing so in the hopes of saving the commission. If you see a FSBO and want the advantages of our services, let us contact the owner for you and make an appointment. Most times the homeowner will work with agents even though their home is not listed, since the agents are introducing a potential buyer to their property.
Can we go back through our property again once an offer is made but before possession?
Usually, we can notify the seller and schedule a convenient time to visit the property again. Immediately before the closing, we will schedule a final walk-through and inspection of your new home.
Once my offer is accepted, what should I do?
Celebrate and focus on moving into your new home! You will want to schedule your move, pack items and notify businesses of your address change. We will provide you with a moving checklist to help you remember all the details. We will also give you a good faith estimate and HUD statement, which will indicate the amount you will need to bring to closing.
Let’s look for a new home!
In some cases, our clients find their dream home on the first day. In other cases, it takes more time to find the right home. Rest assured, there is a home out there just right for you. We just have to find it.
To assist you in the home search journey, we have organized a list of homes showing you the following information for each:
• Photos of the home
• The home address
• The current asking price
• The square footage and property taxes
• The number of bedrooms and baths
• The age and lot size
• Unique features and comments
Once we narrow down the list of properties that are of interest, we will:
• Provide you with more detailed information about the home
• Review the county tax records for tax liens, etc.
• Schedule a personal visit to the home
• Tour the home with you
• Determine how the asking price compares with other homes in the area
• Answer any and all questions you may have
