8 Easy Steps to Finding Your Dream Home

Being aware of the overall home buying process will help relieve a lot of your worries. It's always best to understand each stage and how it relates to another so that, in the end, you will be as informed as possible and confident in your final buying decision. Here at the Ann Cummings & Jim Lee team, we want you to be empowered with the knowledge needed to make your home buying experience a great one!

1. Select a Buyer's Agent to Represent You.

Contact and have a ‘sit down’ meeting with a local buyer’s agent. A local and experienced buyer’s agent can save you huge amounts of time and also guide you through the process to make a wise and profitable buying decision. It’s important to select an agent you have a good rapport with and also one with the knowledge and professionalism to get the job done for you. Buying a home is the largest financial decision most of us will make in a lifetime and it’s very important to have an experienced professional on your side.

2. Find a Mortgage Lender

Your agent will recommend a local mortgage lender to provide you with a preapproval service. This service is free of charge but invaluable to when it comes time to make an offer on the home you select. A home seller will take your offer much more seriously when you provide written proof that you can actually obtain financing to buy their home. It's important to select a local lender because they inspire confidence in your offer to both the seller and the seller's representative. 

3. Time For The Fun Part Now.

Now the fun part begins; looking at homes for sale. A good first step if you live in the area you think you want to move to is to drive around the area and see what you think of it. How far is it to services you use like grocery stores, schools, churches,

4. Fun Step 2; Visit Some Homes For Sale

nce you’ve settled on some areas it’s time to start zeroing in on some homes in those areas to schedule a visit with. Your Realtor will make the viewing arrangements for you and accompany you to showings. Be very frank with them about what you like and just as important, what you don’t like. Your input helps them focus in more closely on what you’re looking for.

5. Time To Make An Offer

Make an offer. Once you’ve selected a home that you feel meets your needs it’s time to make an offer. Your Realtor will prepare your offer and also all the accompanying documentation. In New Hampshire and most other states sellers must give you a written property condition disclosure that will tell you any adverse facts they may know about their home and also the ages of systems such as roof, furnace, and other important components of a home.

6. Time For Your Due Dilligence

Home inspections and due diligence. Once you get your offer accepted your due diligence period begins. You will typically have from 7 to 14 days to get these things scheduled and any issues resolved. Again your Realtor will guide and advise you how to best proceed.

7. Meanwhile Behind The Scenes

While you’re doing your due diligence work your lenders and the title company (that’s the people that prepare the deed and paperwork for your new home) are all hard at work at their jobs. Your lender will send out an appraiser to ensure you’re not paying too much for the home and that it meets the criteria of the lender to loan you money on it. The title company will also be hard at work doing a title search to uncover any clouds, defects, or other issues that may affect you getting a good title to your new home.

8. Closing Time and Opening Time For Your New Home

Go to the closing and buy your new home. At the closing you’ll be asked to sign a large amount of documents mostly related to our mortgage. At the end you present the seller with a check from your lender and they will present you with the keys to your new home.

Your Dream Home Awaits

Following these steps will put you on your way to graduating from Home Buyer 101. At Ann Cummings & Jim Lee, we use our years of experience and industry-forward resources to help you find your new New Hampshire Seacoast home quickly and stress-free. We also have a free Buyer's Guide that describes the buying process for you.  Contact us at 603-436-1221 or use the form below and let's get moving!