Buying a home can be an overwhelming process and emotionally draining. Finding the right home is not always an easy task. Typically we do not advise buyers to schedule more than five showings at a time because any more than that can become confusing.

• Get pre-qualified. This way you know for certain how much home you can afford.

• Conduct research online before ever stepping foot in a home.
• Get a Loan pre-approval. This will make any offer from you stronger as the seller can see that you have bank approval. Many sellers won't look at an offer if the seller doesn't have assurance that the buyer can get a loan.
  
• You can ask your agent for a referral to a mortgage broker or check with your own bank / credit union. Compare the types of mortgages available to you and your GFE.
  
• Negotiate the Offer. Our agents can provide comparable sales and examine the pending sales. Comparable sales are similar type homes in the same condition and location that have sold within the past 3 months. Pending sales will become the comparable sales by the time your home closes.
  
• Our agent can give you a reasonable price range and help to manage your expectations. Our agents know that there is more to a good offer than just price and can assist you in submitting the most attractive offer possible. 
  
• Once an offer is approved, hire a qualified Real Estate attorney to make sure your interests are protected before signing a Purchase and Sale Agreement. You can ask your agent for a referral to an attorney.
  
• Do a Home Inspection.  
  

A home inspection is a contract contingency which means a buyer has the right to cancel the contract. You might not want to be locked in to buying a home that has a faulty foundation, for example.  Sellers are generally not required to make repairs if problems are discovered during a home inspection. A home inspection is for the buyer's edification. However, sometimes when a buyer gives a Request for Repair to the seller the seller may agree to make a repair or discount the price of the house to cover the cost of the repair.

Tips When BUying:

Hire an Agent. Hiring an agent will save you time. An agent can send you listings directly from MLS that fit your parameters, and you won't waste time looking at active listings that are under contract.

• Our agents will often know of new listings coming up that are not yet on the market.
  

• Our agents will preview homes for you.
  

• Our agents can generally spot overpriced listings and advise you accordingly.