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First Time Home Buyer Secrets To A Successful Purchase- Phase 5

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Here’s a core guide to each phase of the home buying process.

Phase Five: Escrow, Inspections and Underwriting

“Opening Escrow” is the point of which the buyer’s earnest money and the entire contract are given to the title company. The title company is an independent trusted third-party. They receive and disburse money and/or documents for the transacting parties dependent on the agreed-upon provisions of the contract. The title company will be mindful of all time lines which is why “time is of the essence”.

 

Hopefully you’ve already started your due diligence by visiting my Buyer’s Toolbox. [Read more…]

First Time Home Buyer Secrets To A Successful Purchase- Phase 4

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Here’s a core guide to each phase of the home buying process.

Phase Four: Negotiation

Here’s where your family, friends, and the media can cause you to lose the house you want. Although some of the advice may be great, it is generalized information. It may not apply to every home on the market in every city or more importantly, it may not have anything to do with the particular home you choose. [Read more…]

First Time Home Buyer Secrets To A Successful Purchase- Phase 3

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Here’s a core guide to each phase of the home buying process.

Phase Three: House Hunting

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House Hunting

It’s important to understand that most of what you see on the internet is not the direct source of the actual listing. These third parties brokers do pull their information directly from the Multiple Listing Service at some point but they don’t update as often or display as much information as you will receive directly from the source which is monitored and updated daily.

[Read more…]

First Time Home Buyer Secrets To A Successful Purchase – Phase 2

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Phase Two: The Pre-Qualification Process

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Contrary to the real-life stories of a few bad apples in the industry taking advantage of unsuspecting buyers, working with a mortgage lender or broker recommended by your real estate broker or realtor may end up saving you money and saving your transaction.

In my experience, most agents are reluctant to put their trust into mortgage brokers too. Realtors have seen, heard, and experienced the real-life stories of buyers who have gone through lenders and more specifically, loan officers that were a detriment to the buyer. It takes time to build such a relationship of trust to make any recommendations. Afterall, a buyer agent’s recommendation can make or break their reputation and career.

When you work with a mortgage broker who has a strong track record of helping your realtor’s clients out, you get: [Read more…]

First Time Home Buyer Secrets To A Successful Purchase- Phase 1

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Buying your first home is a big decision. Knowing the process will help you have a more enjoyable experience. Here’s a core guide to each phase of the home buying process.

Phase One: Deciding If It’s The Right Time For YOU To Buy Your First Home.

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Buying Your First Home in Arizona

Smart buyers decide to buy when it fits into their plans for…

  • Family. Are they planning to get married, have children or empty their nest?  Will any of these plans compromise their space needs or location priorities?
  • Career. Is there job security? Is there possibility for relocation or will they be working in the same area for the foreseeable future? Are there plans to start working less or start their own business in the months or years to come? [Read more…]

Buying Foreclosures

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A foreclosure, also known as an REO or Real Estate Owned by a lender, has been acquired by a lending institution through the foreclosure process. The buyer will present their offer to the seller who is whichever lending institution owns the property.

The lending institution will present a multiple page Counter Offer and/or Addendum that the buyer will be obligated to accept in order to purchase the subject property. [Read more…]

Homeowner’s Insurance

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Good insurance policies are hard to come by.

When purchasing a home, you will need to acquire homeowners insurance. In fact, all lenders will require a policy be in place prior to funding the loan. Make sure you have enough coverage. Policies refer to “replacement costs” that may not cover everything.

You should ask your insurance agent a lot of “what if” questions. The deductible amount also plays a big part in setting your premium. Higher deductibles lower the number of claims, and reduce your insurance costs. [Read more…]

5 Mistakes Causing Buyers To Blow Their Own Deal

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Any changes with your money, credit, or employment while you’re in the process of purchasing your home can affect the end result. Limit activity with your checking, savings, investments, and other financial accounts to just normal routine activity. Avoid surprises. Tell your lender if  non-routine financial activity is unavoidable so they can assess the situation immediately. Hopefully, it’s not a Homer Simpson moment that can’t be fixed. Your lender can only help if you are open and honest with them. [Read more…]

FHA’s 203K- Purchasing a Home in Need of Non-Structural Repairs

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The Federal Housing Administration, FHA, requires homes to be livable upon purchase. Strict inspection requirements are given to FHA approved appraisers to not only come up with a market value but to identify any potential heath or safety hazards.

With as many resales being foreclosed or short sale properties, the potential for damage in these otherwise quality homes is not uncommon. [Read more…]

About FHA Loans

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FHA loans are mortgages issued by FHA qualified lenders only. These loans are insured by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA). This insurance provided by the federal government allows lenders to lend more freely by assuring them they will be repaid in the event of default.

“We have seen home buyer interest in FHA loans go from practically zero three years ago to upwards of 87 percent today,” said Christopher Gardner, founder and president of FHA Pros, LLC. “Despite this rapid rise in popularity, many buyers still do not fully understand the benefits of these loans, and we believe it’s time to change that.” [Read more…]

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