Buyer Center

The Homebuyer Checklist identifies some of the important factors to consider when choosing a home. In addition to an affordable sales price, you will also want to be sure that the neighborhood and home meets the needs of your family.

Take this checklist along when you go shopping for your home. It will help you evaluate the neighborhoods and assess the availability and condition of various features of up to three homes in a side-by-side comparison. Click here to print this page.

HomeBuyer checklist	1	2	3
Property Address	.	.	.
Asking Price	$	$	$
Real Estate Taxes	$	$	$
The Neighborhood
Near Work	.	.	.
Near Schools	.	.	.
Near Shopping	.	.	.
Near Expressways	.	.	.
Near Public Transportation	.	.	.
Near Doctors / Dentists	.	.	.
Near Churches	.	.	.
Garbage Collection	.	.	.
Street Lights	.	.	.
Sidewalks	.	.	.
Streets / Alleys Well Maintained	.	.	.
Traffic Volume	.	.	.
Parks	.	.	.
Neighbor's Property Well Maintained	.	.	.
All Utilities Installed	.	.	.
Neighborhood / Restrictions	.	.	.
Near Trains / Airports	.	.	.
Area Zoned Residential	.	.	.
Near Industry	.	.	.
Proposed Special Assessments	.	.	.
Environment Concerns / Influences	.	.	.
The House
Age of House	.	.	.
No. of Stories	.	.	.
Wood Frame	.	.	.
Brick Frame	.	.	.
Wood & Brick Frame	.	.	.
Aluminum Siding	.	.	.
Roof Condition	.	.	.
Foundation Condition	.	.	.
Overall Exterior Condition	.	.	.
Garage Size	.	.	.
No. of Bathrooms	.	.	.
No. of Closets	.	.	.
No. of Bedrooms	.	.	.
Oil Heat	.	.	.
Gas Heat	.	.	.
Electric Heat	.	.	.
Hot Water Heat	.	.	.
Insulation	.	.	.
Central Air Conditioning	.	.	.
Energy-Conservation Features	.	.	.
Age of Heating System	.	.	.
Age of Water Heater	.	.	.
Capacity of Water Heater	.	.	.
Age of Electrical Wiring	.	.	.
Plumbing Condition	.	.	.
Estimated Water Bill	$	$	$
Estimated Heating Bill	$	$	$
Estimated Electric Bill	$	$	$
Living Room	.	.	.
Fireplace	.	.	.
Separate Dining Room	.	.	.
Family Room	.	.	.
Drapes - No. of Rooms	.	.	.
Carpeting - No. of Rooms	.	.	.
Kitchen Eating Area	.	.	.
Refrigerator	.	.	.
Stove / Oven (Gas / Electric)	.	.	.
Garbage Disposal	.	.	.
Dishwasher	.	.	.
Broken Windows	.	.	.
Storm Windows / Screens	.	.	.
Washer / Dryer Outlets	.	.	.
Laundry Space	.	.	.
Finished Basement	.	.	.
Attic	.	.	.
Sump Pump / Drainage	.	.	.
Connected to Sewer System	.	.	.
Patio	.	.	.
Backyard Fence	.	.	.
Landscaping	.	.	.
Property Boundaries	.	.	.
Security (dead bolts, detectors)	.	.	.
Building Code	.	.	.
Compliance	.	.	.
Ability to Expand / Enlarge House	.	.	.

First-time Homebuyers

	I will . . .
>	Work at no cost to you!
>	Provide detailed listing information not available to the general public.
>	Negotiate the deal to save you money.
>	Guide you through the avalanche of paperwork.
>	Commit my time and energy to finding you the right home.

Your decision to buy a home is both a sound financial decision and a commendable achievement. As your real estate agent . . .

I will lead you through every step of the exciting home buying process.
I will help you define your "wish list" of features you want in your home, your neighborhood and your school district.
I will walk you through the mind-boggling financial details associated with buying a home, including understanding the various mortgages and home buying programs available to you.
I will monitor all new listings and alert you to new houses as soon as they are put on the market.
I will eliminate the stress involved with buying a home by putting my years of real estate experience to work for you.

Finding the perfect home is my business. Contact me today!

The 9 Steps to Home Ownership

Step - 1 Make the Decision to Buy

It seems obvious, but it's good to note that the first step to buying a house is making the decision to buy. Consider the reasons you want a new house and write them down. Determine how long you want to live in the new house - does buying still make good financial sense? Can you afford a house that will meet your list of requirements? A good rule of thumb is your mortgage payment should not exceed 1/3 of your net monthly income.

Step 2 - Seek Professional Guidance

I'd like to schedule a time to meet with you to hear the reasons you want to buy a house and your plans for the future. We'll talk about neighborhoods, schools, economic factors liable to affect the market today and tomorrow, as well as how you would like your house and neighborhood to grow with you.

At this time, I will also help you get pre-qualified for a mortgage loan. Pre-qualification is a written statement from a loan officer indicating his or her opinion that you will be approved for a mortgage loan up to a certain amount. The fact that you are pre-qualified will help us when we are negotiating the deal.

Step 3 - Begin the Hunt

After our initial meeting, I'll search all my resources for houses on the market that fit your criteria. I'll preview these houses to eliminate the duds. Then, I'll schedule appointments to tour the houses at times convenient to you.

As we tour houses, I'll point out positive features and negative features. I'll ask you to tell me what you like and what you don't like. You'll probably amend your "wish list" as we tour houses, some things will become more important and others less important. With this new information, I'll refine our search criteria to narrow in on the house of your dreams.

Step 4 - Know the Market

My knowledge of the local market is an essential factor in the house search. I'll let you know when the market in a particular neighborhood is "hot" and requires immediate action or when the market is "cool" and allows for thoughtful consideration.

As we tour houses, I'll let you know when the asking price has negotiating room and when the house is "priced to sell". My unique market knowledge will keep you a step ahead of the "house hunting competition".

In a "seller's market". It is not unusual to see multiple offers on a property, full-price offers and even above-price offers. On the flip side, during a "buyer's market" there are more houses for sale than buyers. This gives us more negotiating room as houses are taking longer to sell.

Step 5 - Find Your Dream House

I'm confident we'll find your dream house. When we do, I'll put together the purchase offer tailored for your needs including appropriate contingencies (such as obtaining financing, favorable home inspection, clear title, etc.).

The offer is normally presented with "earnest money". This is a cash deposit made to a home seller to secure an offer to buy the property. The amount is applied to closing costs. If the seller accepts the offer, generally closing is held 30 to 60 days from the offer date (generally dependent on the turn around time of your mortgage financing).

Step 6 - Negotiate the Deal

It is not uncommon to receive a counter offer when the initial purchase offer is submitted. Don't let this discourage you. We will discuss the counter offer and decide whether or not to accept the counter offer, submit our own counter offer, or reject the counter offer and move on.

Market conditions will play a role in how aggressively we negotiate the deal. We will also work within your limits. Emotions can lead to buyer's remorse. It is better to set limits prior to negotiating an offer and stick to these limits.

Step 7 - Get a Loan

During the closing period, you will be working with your mortgage lender to close the loan. Since you pre-qualified for the loan before starting your home search, you will be that much closer to the end. I'll gather the necessary property information your lender will need to close the loan.

Step 8 - Close the Deal

You will receive a "Good Faith Estimate" of closing costs at the time the loan application is submitted to the lender. The estimate is based on the loan officer's past experience and may not include all the closing costs. I will be glad to review the "Good Faith Estimate," answering questions and highlighting missing costs and estimates I believe to be low.

Step 9 - Move In

Congratulations! It's time to move into your new house and make it your home. Enjoy this exciting time. I'll give you a checklist to help you remember the numerous details that will make your moving day a pleasure.

Closing Costs

There are certain standard costs associated with closing the sale of a house. These fees are split between the buyer and the seller, as spelled out in the sales contract.

As I negotiate the sales contract for you, I will not only work to get the sales price you want, I will also work to limit the number of closing costs for which you will be responsible.

I will walk you through the closing costs, answering any questions you may have explaining which costs are decreed by law to be yours and which are negotiable.

Good Faith Estimate

Buyers will receive a "Good Faith Estimate" of closing costs at the time the loan application is submitted to the lender. The estimate is based on the loan officer's past experience and may not include all the closing costs. I will be glad to review the "Good Faith Estimate," answering questions and highlighting missing costs and estimates I believe to be low.

Standard Closing Costs

Loan-Related Costs

Loan Origination Fee
Points (optional)
Appraisal Fee
Credit Report
Interest Payment
Escrow Account

Taxes

Property Taxes
Transfer Taxes and Recording Fees

Insurance

Homeowners Insurance
Flood or Quake Insurance
Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI)
Title Insurance