The Buying Process
A very important initial step.
A very important initial step.
The best way to select a REALTOR® is to go to open houses similar to what you are looking for, in the area that you are interested in. Talk with the REALTOR® and ask a lot of questions. Test their knowledge about the property, neighborhoods, and schools.
This is a very important initial step. The loan agent will ask you to provide some information, ask you several questions about your goals and they will come up with a buying budget that also includes how much you will need to put down for the initial deposit, closing costs, taxes, and insurance. With this information, Lori can start the process of searching for a home for you. If you’re looking for great loan agents, ask Lori to send her vetted contacts.
Schedule a meeting with Lori to discuss your likes, dislikes, criteria, school districts, budget as well as short and long-term goals. She will then create an online alert that will push listings that meet your criteria as soon as they go on the market. One of the great features of working with a Full Service- Concierge Agent with Compass is that we “Share” the listings that Compass agents have coming in the near future. These can not be found on Zillow, Redfin, or other online sites. They are exclusive to Compass REALTOR®’s and their clients. This gives you, the buyer, an advantage over the competition.
Lori can schedule private showings for you and/or take you on a tour of several homes in one day. Once you have found a home that interests you, Lori can order the inspections and disclosures and explain them to you. California is a full disclosure state. Seller’s and their agents are required by law to disclose any and all facts about the property. It is very important to have a Full Service agent sit down with you and go line by line through every item so that you are clear and can make a well informed good faith offer.
Together with Lori, you will write up a good faith offer with the best price and terms possible. You will attach the “proof of funds” and “pre-qualification” letter and sign any reports and disclosures prior to sending the offer to the listing agent.
Once your offer is accepted, Lori will provide you with a list of escrow companies to choose from and escrow will be opened. Initial deposit will be deposited into escrow within 3 days.
Although most sellers these days have all of the inspections performed prior to going on the market, the buyer still has time, if needed, to have their own investigations, inspections done.
Once you have an accepted offer your lender will order an appraisal of the subject property. Typically banks will only loan 80% of the value of the home.
With all offers, there is a set deadline for the buyer to remove ALL contingencies (Loan, Appraisal, and Inspections) once these contingencies are removed if the buyer decides to back out they will forfeit their good faith (initial) deposit.
Along with Lori, you will take one final look at the property prior to the title transfer just to ensure that it remains in the same condition that it was when you placed the original offer.
You will be asked to come into the title company with the remaining balance due (if any) and your Identification to sign the final papers. The Seller will also be signing their documents within the same time frame.
After both buyer and seller have signed all of the final documents, and all of the closing documents are acknowledged by the buyer, there is a 3 day waiting period before the title is transferred and the funds are deposited into the seller's account.
Before doing all of your celebrating please make sure to have all of the utilities changed into your name on the date of transfer of title….. Now you can Pop the cork!!
Lori is responsive, enthusiastic, and professional, she has built a solid reputation and a vast network of local connections, to aid and assist her clients in every aspect of their transactions.