The First Step                                                                                                                  
The process of buying a home or investment generally starts with determining your buying power; that is, you’re financial reserves plus your borrowing capacity.  I can refer you to a number of lenders so you can compare and decide who is best qualified to help you.

Finding your Home or Investment
Once you know how much you can and want to invest, the next step is to find the properties that most nearly fit your needs concerning location, size, amenities, and style of home.   This is the time to choose a professional real estate licensee.  They can help you by investigating all available properties, having you look them over, and getting access to go into the ones you like most.  Once you have found one you really like you make an offer and the seller will either accept, counteroffer, or deny your offer.

Property Evaluation
Once you and the seller have agreed to the price and conditions in a purchase contract, it is time to complete the evaluation of the property. Depending on the area and property, this could include inspections for termites, full home inspections, asbestos, faulty structure, roof condition, septic tank and well tests, just to name a few. As your agent, we can assist you in finding qualified responsible professionals to do most of these investigations and provide you with written reports. After the reports if anything needs to be done, you will negotiate who will fix what.  Then costs are paid and any problems are fixed or sold as is. You will also receive disclosure statements disclosing everything known about the condition of the property.  After everything is disclosed and inspections done, the closing date is just around the corner.

Closing
Escrows are usually 30 to 45 days, but can be longer or shorter depending on the situation.  Five days before closing you will do a final walk through at the property to confirm home has been maintained in its original condition.  After the final approval from the lender, you sign all necessary documents, title is transferred, and you get the keys.

How Do Real Estate Agents Get Paid?
Real estate agents are paid through their broker, who is paid a sales commission usually by the seller when the transaction closes.  Agents have many expenses such as: marketing, advertising, selling insurance, desk & phone costs, expensive online tools, continuing education classes, board dues, gas driving clients around, and endless time and effort before they even know they are getting paid.  They have financial obligations just like you, so it will be to your mutual benefit if you choose a real estate agent and stick with that person. The agent will respect your loyalty and respond with a sincere commitment to you.

The Benefits of Hiring a Real Estate Agent: 

1. Agents can help you from the very beginning by researching all homes in the market that fit your criteria, and give you access inside the ones you like.
2. An agent can look up the history and any information about the property through a special search.
3. Agents are trained extensively on the laws to make sure you are on the right track, and recognize them when they are being broken by another party in the transaction. 
4. Agents are trained extensively on the laws to make sure you are on the right track, and recognize them when they are being broken by another party in the transaction. 
5. Agents are accustomed to dealing with problems that might come up in a transaction, and know the best way to negotiate smoothly through.
6. Agents are available to give advice and answer questions throughout the entire process, making sure you know everything you need.

The First Step
The first step is to come to the right price to list your home so that it fits the current market trend.  The demand a market has fluctuates, and prices are always a reflection of that demand.  Something to consider: sellers typically start their home at a higher price, and reduce it the longer the home is on the market.  Some sellers are in no hurry to sell, and others might want to price their home more reasonable from the start to sell quicker.  After reaching the right price, the next step is to market your home through the multiple listing service, magazines, news papers, real estate guides, open houses, flyers, and on the internet.  By contacting a real estate agent and filling out a listing agreement including disclosures on the home helps guarantee you are following the real estate laws, listing at the right price, and marketing your home to the fullest.

Receiving an Offer
Once an offer is received your real estate agent will read through it, and present it to you explaining all conditions of the offer.  You may accept, refuse, or make a counter offer on any of the terms, conditions, or price. 

Escrow
Once an agreement has been reached through the purchase contract, escrow is opened.  Escrow usually lasts 30 to 45 days, but can be shorter or longer depending on the circumstances.  The buyer then has seventeen days to do all necessary inspections and look over the disclosures about the home.  During the inspection time, the buyers can either negotiate what to be fixed by who, cancel the agreement, or accept the property as it is.  After the seventeen days if the buyer decides to continue with what he knows about the property, then they will sign a contingency release.

Final Days of Closing
After the contingency release is signed, the buyers are locked into purchasing the home, unless there is a default by the seller.  Five days prior to the close of escrow, the buyer will do a walk through to make sure the property was kept in its original condition.  Once the lender gives the final ok, the buyer and seller will sign papers transferring the title and money, then the keys are given to buyer.

1. Agents can help you from the very beginning by researching your type of home on the market, and offer the best price to suit your individual needs. 
   *An agent can market your home to the fullest with the vast number of networks and strategies already developed. 
2. Agents are trained extensively on the laws to make sure you are on the right track, and recognize them when they are being broken by another party in the transaction. 
3. Agents are accustomed to dealing with problems that might come up in a transaction, and know the best way to negotiate smoothly through.
4. Agents are available to give advice and answer questions throughout the entire process, making sure you know everything you need.