You’ve found the home you can see yourself living in, now what? There are several steps to the buying process you will go through before you can officially call it your own.
Purchase and Sale Agreement
Once an offer on a property has been made by a buyer and accepted by the seller, they enter into a legal contract known as a Purchase and Sale Agreement. This document outlines the specific terms and conditions of the transaction and is acknowledged by both parties by the signing of the document.
Inspection
Once a buyer and seller reach mutual acceptance on a property, a home inspector is hired to investigate every nook and cranny to determine if the home is in need of any repairs. An inspector will check items, such as the roof, basement, heating system, water heater, air-conditioning system, structure, plumbing, and electrical. Afterwards, buyers will have a chance to negotiate with the sellers to cover the costs of certain repairs or to ask for concessions.
Negotiation
Whether you are a buyer or a seller, negotiation is the key to getting the best deal. Negotiations can involve everything from settling on a sales price to concessions and financing. Windermere Real Estate agents are expert negotiators whose job it is to represent your interests during the give and take of a real estate transaction.
Financing
You may already be pre-approved, but now that you’re closer to the actual purchase price, you’ll be working more in-depth with your lender on your final loan approval.
Title Insurance
You will receive a full report detailing the property history for you and your lender to ensure there are no legal encumbrances between a new owner and the property being purchased.
Escrow
Once the offer is accepted and a closing date agreed upon, escrow allows the buyer and the seller to have an outside party ensure all parts of the contact are complete. Your Windermere agent can help coordination the completion of all necessary forms to the escrow company and monitor the escrow process until the transaction is complete.
Closing
At closing, all the paperwork is signed by the buyer and seller, both parties pay any settlement fees and the documents are officially recorded. Prior to closing, you’ll receive a settlement statement outlining any fees which may apply to you. After closing is finalized and recorded, the home is yours!
