Buyer's
Learn more about the journey to homeownership.
Lets talk about it.
Becoming a homeowner is a prideful accomplishment! And, having a helping hand to lead you on that journey makes a world of a difference. Here, we'll go over the general course of action for success.
You're very first step in the whole process is to have a consultation. The consultation is free and you will have an opportunity to get answers to questions you may have. Once you're ready, we'll address the necessary documents to establish our working relationship, and represent you as a client moving forward.
Next, we'll help prepare you for the pre-qualification process. This is where you'll obtain pre-qualification for financing your future home through a loan institution. Working alongside with your realtor during this step is advocated to ensure seamless communication and documentation processing with your lender. The pre-approval/qualification takes a few days to process. Once you receive your pre-approval letter, it will inform you of how much you qualify for in dollar amounts, and also includes other important information about the mortgage.
Understanding The Mortgage
The process of becoming a homeowner means that being fully informed is crucial for long term success. This includes having a general idea of what your monthly payments might be like. A monthly payment on a mortgage will consist of several factors depending on what type of loan you will have. This will include the principal and interest (P&I), taxes, insurance, and possibly private mortgage insurance (PMI).
Want to see what a mortgage estimate looks like? We offer a free easy-to-read mortgage estimate sample report! This will help you as a soon-to-be homeowner stay informed and prepared prior to applying for loan! See the full breakdown including principal, interest, PMI, comparisons and more!
It's simple, just click and follow the steps, and we'll email you the free mortgage estimate PDF to download and keep!
Finding Your New Home
Once we know how much you pre-qualify for, our Realtor will begin an extensive search in the MLS database and private listings. The search for your home will be based on your specific criteria such as price-point, how many bedrooms/bathrooms, location, style of the home and so forth. Then our Realtor will present the available matches to you and you'll decide which ones you'd like to go see! A showing appointment will be made for you when convenient with your schedule. If you like the house and wish to buy it, our Realtor will write up your offer according to what you want.
The Offer
You and our Realtor will discuss what you'd like to present in your offer. This includes things such as how much you're offering, intended close of escrow date, your 'good faith' deposit (this shows the seller that you're serious and the money goes towards the purchase), any contingencies, proof of funds, etc. There are a lot of details in the offer, and our Realtor will be sure to go over it in whole with you to make sure you understand the language and terms in the offer you're presenting. After it's completed and signed, our Realtor will proceed by presenting the offer to the seller's agent. Their agent will review it with the seller and they will need to respond by a certain date as described in your offer.
Once a response is received, the negotiation process begins. One of three things will happen; the seller accepts, the seller counter offers, or the seller does not accept.
If the seller counter offers you, this is good news! This means that the seller is partially accepting your offer but wants to change a few terms. This is the most common and expected response from a seller. This is also where most of the negotiation will take place. Remember, our Realtor represents you with your best interests in mind and will work hard to negotiate the best deal for you. A counter offer may be a lot of going back and forth between you and the seller. Once both parties come to a full agreement, then you'll proceed with inspections, appraisal, and the close of escrow!
If the seller does not accept your offer, don't be stressed, it's okay! Sometimes this happens! If we do encounter this, our Realtor will discuss this with the sellers agent to see why the sellers did not accept. Perhaps they received a better offer, or maybe they did not agree with some of the terms in the offer. Either way, if you still wish to pursue the home, you can present a stronger offer, it's all about negotiation! However, if you wish to move on, there are plenty of other homes out there for you!
If the seller fully accepts your offer, then congratulations! It's all yours! You'll then proceed with having an inspection done, the appraisal, and then the close of escrow!
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Behind The Scenes
During the deal, there's a lot of other things that go on which you should anticipate. These include the appraisal, inspections, possible repairs if requested, walk-throughs, disclosures, signing documents, meeting contingencies, and so forth. At this stage of the process, setbacks can happen. Setbacks can include a low appraisal, inspection discoveries, title or loan issues, and other various setbacks. It's important as a buyer to be fully informed so you're aware and prepared if any issues do arise. Your Realtor owes you due diligence and it is an obligation to keep you fully informed. So, although this may seem overwhelming, our Realtor will manage the hard stuff so you can focus on what really matters - like getting ready to make memories in your new home!
After all contingencies are met, all parties will be ready to move forth to closing escrow and finalizing the deal! The escrow officer will be given directions to follow as set forth in the agreement between you and the seller. These instructions include items such as confirming that all contingencies have been met, verifying a clear home title, the transfer of ownership, and the transfer of funds. During your close of escrow appointment, the escrow officer will go over many documents with you to sign. Take your time to read the documents and don't hesitate to ask questions. After completing your documents, you'll be given a copy of everything for your records.
Getting your keys! After closing escrow, our Realtor will make arrangements with you to give you the keys to your new home!
Our Services To You
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From house hunting to closing, we have your back! As a buyer client, we represent you and put your best interests first. As a member of the National Association of REALTORS®, our ethics are held to a higher standard ensuring that we serve our clients and community with integrity. You can feel at ease knowing that we'll walk you through the process step-by-step, and our lines of communication are available 7-days a week! Because, YOU deserve MORE!
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Working Hard For You.
Did you know there's a difference between a real estate agent and a Realtor? A real estate agent is anyone who is simply licensed. However, a Realtor® is an active member of the National Association Of Realtors® (NAR). Realtors are held to a higher standard and must strictly abide to the Code of Ethics. The Code ensures that consumers are served by Realtors® to the highest standard and with the your best interests always coming first.
Our Realtor, Chanel Bottin is an active and proud member of not only the National Association Of Realtors®, but also two other Associations. Chanel Bottin works with one of the top producing real estate companies in the country, Realty ONE Group which has been recognized by Entrepreneur Magazine and has received notoriety as a top 1% company! You can rest assured knowing you have a professional Realtor to represent you as a client, and who works hard for her clients!
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We're Here For You 7 Days A Week
We know the importance of being available to clients when they need assistance. That's why we don't restrict clients to standard business hours. We are available 7 days a week, including late night hours up to 10pm, and holidays!* So you can rest assured knowing that we're available to answer your questions everyday! Plus, you'll have access to our Realtors direct mobile number, so you don't have to worry about waiting to get your important questions answered by email. You have the freedom to call or text whenever you need to!
*Hours of availability are 7 days a week 8am-10pm by phone or email. In person, hours of service are scheduled based on availability. We are available by phone only on all holidays (December 25th is excluded). Exceptions for availability may be given for urgent circumstances.*
Start Your Journey To Homeownership!
Book A Free Consultation Today!
Get started on your home buying goals by booking a FREE consultation! No commitment required! Get your questions answered and see what we can do for you! Choose from two convenient locations in Brentwood and Walnut Creek, or schedule a virtual consultation!
What to Expect
The consultation is typically between thirty to sixty minutes. During this time we'll discuss your goals, current market conditions, our services, how real estate compensation works, and answer any questions you may have. We'll go over the home buying process, and provide you with a home buyers guide for you to keep. There's no commitment required for the consultation, so you can feel at ease if you just want to ask a few questions before starting your home-buying journey. It's okay to take your time and think about it, and we can start the process whenever you're ready!
Our job is to represent you with due diligence and care. It's important to us that our clients are fully informed in the process, and we work hard to ensure that you have a successful journey of homeownership! Client satisfaction is a top priority to us, and that's why we go the extra mile for our clients. Schedule your free consultation today!
