Buyers’ Guide
Congratulations on deciding to purchase a home! Whether it is your first home, or an investment property, any purchase is exciting and rewarding. There are several important components involved in making a smart purchase, and we will successfully lead you through the process. We will thoroughly review all potential homes that match your interests, obtain loan preapproval, prepare a consolidated market analysis report for each property, and effectively negotiate the terms and price for you.
Evaluating Properties
While reviewing potential homes, it is important to honor a checklist that makes sense to you from a lifestyle and financial perspective. There are considerations such as taxes, schools, age and size of the home, and commuting, which will have a bearing on your selection of homes. We will provide you resources and our expertise to help answer all questions important to narrowing your search.
When visiting a potential home of interest, asking questions that go deeper than what meets the eye could save a lot of time. Requesting a copy of a survey and documentation of recent improvements and repairs are proactive ways to become more knowledgeable about prospective homes. Seeking independent inspections and advice from qualified experts is necessary.
The best home search includes not only searching the MLS, but also real estate auctions, probate sales, short sales, bank owned properties, and off-market properties. Every avenue is utilized in finding the perfect match for our clients.
Financing
If you plan to finance your purchase, we can help guide you through the loan pre-approval process. This involves providing your financial and employment information to a potential lender who makes an evaluation based on your income and assets. The loan originator will prepare a letter you can present to the sellers, establishing that you are able to obtain a loan up to a certain amount. The letter is good for approximately three months. Having this letter and your credentials in order when making offers is advantageous. Sellers are more likely to negotiate with you on price if you appear to be a solid candidate for the purchase. There are several types of mortgages that are available and we will determine which is the best for you. If credit is an issue and qualifying is challenging, we have private lenders who put less emphasis on your credit score.
Negotiation
The best tools for negotiation are the facts. Sometimes the asking price is not representative of the home’s fair market value. A comparative market analysis is a good place to start when considering making an offer. We will evaluate homes for sale and recently solds in the area based on their style, year built, square feet, acreage, number of bedrooms and bathrooms. We will also consider your prospective home’s improvements, age of appliances, condition of the roof and whether any replacements are necessary.
An offer must be a carefully written proposal explaining the offer in light of all relevant information. We will help you navigate this process objectively and assist you in making an offer that is favorable to you and attractive to the seller.Oppenlander Realty will explore every possible avenue to find your dream home at the price you desire.