Owning a home is part of the "American Dream" and everyone should experience the joy that comes along with home ownership! It's important that you have peace of mind while going through this process. However, many people, especially first time home buyers, make mistakes during the buying process that can leave them unhappy with their purchase or coping with a deal gone bad.

Do your research! Try not to rush into buying a home, even if you fall in love with the "perfect" house. Most importantly, hire an experienced real estate agent with Tailored Realty and Associates to guide you through the process. Tailored Realty and Associates are highly trained professionals, and well equipped to assist you in every aspect of your home buying experience.

Here are some tips to assist you in the buying process:

• Find a Real Estate Agent
• Get Pre-Approved
• Define your Needs
• Let the house hunting begin!
• Make an Offer
• Strike a Deal
• Prepare for the Closing
• Close the Deal

Find a Real Estate Agent

Even with all of the home buying information available online, it's a good idea to hire a License Real Estate Professional that has the knowledge of the real estate laws, contracts, negotiation process. When you consider how much money you'll pay for a new home, combine that with the peace of mind you get from having professional guidance, and it's even more apparent that you should use an agent.

Tailored Realty and Associates are friendly, local, and highly trained to assist you with all of your real estate requirements.

Get Pre-Approved

Now that you know what you want in a home and neighborhood, you need to find out what you can afford. The best way to do this is to get prequalification or preapproval for a home loan. Tailored Realty and Associates can assist you with this process as well we are a full service real estate office. In most markets, preapproved buyers are preferred by sellers over those who are prequalified.

Define your Needs

Congratulations on your decision to purchase a new home! It is important to select a License Real Estate Professional to work with you before you begin house hunting, so that your agent can help you find the home that would best suit your desires and needs. The finer the details on your list, the more effective your home search will be. To further define your needs, you may want to divide your lists into negotiable and non-negotiable items, so your agent can operate with some flexibility when searching for that dream home on your behalf.

Let the House Hunting Begin!

Now you are ready to embark on your home search, the most efficient route is to allow your License Real Estate Professional to do the initial searching for you. Using your list as a guide, he or she will alert you of new and existing listings that have strong potential. If these listings pique your interest, your agent will arrange showings at your convenience.

Make notes on the properties that you view as you view them, so that you're not overwhelmed by trying to remember all the details of each property.

Make an Offer

When you're ready to make an offer on that dream home, Tailored Realty and Associates will inform you of your options, prepare, explain and present the offer. If the seller accepts the offer, the document becomes a binding agreement, so it is imperative that you carefully review it with your agent and speak up if anything is not clear to you. It's important to note that if the seller changes any aspect of the offer, it is not a binding agreement until the buyer agrees to the seller's changes.

Strike a Deal

Sometimes, you get lucky and the seller accepts your offer as is. However, in most instances, the seller will make a counteroffer. This is where Tailored Realty and Associates' experience in negotiations will be invaluable. Keep in mind almost everything is negotiable when you are buying a house.

Some items you may negotiate are:

• Price
• Financing
• Closing costs
• Move-in date
• Repairs

Prepare for the Closing

When your offer is accepted, your Licensed Real Estate Professional will then help you tackle the checklist of action items that you, as the buyer, have agreed to perform prior to closing. Depending on how the responsibilities are divvied up in the agreement, this is typically when you will:

1. Conduct a home inspection.
    
2. Get an appraisal and finalize your financing.
    
3. Get a survey.
    
4. Shop for a home warranty.
    
5. Shop for insurance.

Having these procedures done in a timely and professional manner is a must, as any delays could threaten a successful closing. As your License Real Estate Professional, we are able to serve as your “one-stop shopping” referral source for service providers. We also should serve as your advocate, helping to coordinate activities and making sure the vendors have access to the property to perform their jobs.

Close the Deal

Congratulations! The moment you've been anticipating has arrived. The closing is where home ownership is legally transferred from the seller to the buyer. It is a formal meeting that most parties involved in the transaction will attend. Closing procedures usually are held at the title company's or lawyer's office. The closing officer will coordinate all the document signing and the collection and disbursement of funds.