If you are planning to finance your home purchase, your first step should be getting approved for a mortgage. Without being approved for a mortgage, it will be difficult to purchase a new home. Making contact with a lender prior to searching for your new home will help the transaction run smoothly. As your real estate agent, I can recommend lenders I’ve worked with before if you need help finding a lender.

Buying a home is one of the largest investments you will ever make. As your real estate professional, I can research homes that specifically meet your criteria and provide access for you to preview homes, helping you narrow down your list of potential properties. Homes differ and so do contract terms, financing options, inspection requirements, and closing costs. When you’re ready to make an offer, I can assist you with negotiations, and guide you through the process once your offer is accepted.

Buying a home is expensive. After saving up for a down payment, you might think you’re done with home-buying costs. Unfortunately, that’s not the case. Along with your down payment, you have to pay closing costs, moving expenses, and may even need to purchase new appliances or furniture. In addition to your mortgage, you’ll need to pay property taxes, utilities, homeowner’s insurance, possibly mortgage insurance, HOA fees, and the list can go on.

Homeowners trying to sell their home without agent representation are usually doing so in the hopes of saving the commission. If you see a FSBO and want the advantages of my services, let me contact the owner for you and make an appointment. Most times the homeowner will work with an agent, even though their home is not listed, since the agent is introducing a potential buyer to their property.

A home inspection is one of the most vital steps when purchasing a property. A professional inspector has a keen eye for how well the house has been cared for. Inspectors can comment on structural and cosmetic issues, along with local code issues. Moreover, a home inspector will help you better determine the home’s value.

Unlike many states that require the use of an attorney in a real estate transaction, the law in Virginia gives buyers and sellers a choice of using an attorney or a title and escrow company to handle their real estate settlement. Title companies tend to charge lesser fees than what attorneys charge. Attorneys, however, are permitted to draft, interpret, and explain to you critical real estate documents (such as deeds, deeds of trust, and promissory notes); provide legal advice; and advocate for you if controversy arises. Title companies have affiliations with attorneys as attorneys have to prepare deeds on the seller side. In the event of a dispute, if a client is using an attorney, they already have attorney representation and access to legal advice. If a client is using a title company, they can be referred to the affiliated attorney, but may have to pay additional fees for representation and legal advice.

Usually, we can notify the seller and schedule a convenient time to visit the property again. Immediately before the closing, we will schedule a final walk-through of your new home.

First impressions matter, especially in real estate. Each room should be clean and decluttered with no overt damage in sight. You will want to make sure that your HVAC, plumbing and electrical system all work properly. As your real estate professional, I can provide you with a checklist you can reference to get your home ready to put on the market.

As your agent, I can guide you in your home sale. I can list your home, coordinate photography and showings, market the property, and walk you through to closing. I also have access to local market data that can help you price and market your home appropriately.

Many times, homebuyers want a “move-in ready” property — one that doesn’t require much work and elbow grease before moving in. This is especially true of younger buyers. For this reason, you may want to consider making some repairs before putting your home on the market. Smaller, cosmetic repairs can be a good idea to make your home more marketable (and more valuable). On bigger, known issues, like a damaged roof or a broken AC unit, you have two options: make the repairs and foot the bill yourself, or adjust your price accordingly. Most buyers won’t pay top-dollar if they know there are big, expensive projects waiting in the wings.

You can usually expect a home inspection to come into play once you’ve accepted an offer on your house. The buyer will hire a local inspector to evaluate the property, and they may request that you make repairs or provide a credit at closing based on the inspector’s findings once the inspection is complete. From a logistical standpoint, you usually don’t have to do much before an inspector arrives. You or your agent will need to give them access to the home, and you’ll need to make sure they are able to navigate your entire property — including any attics, crawlspaces, or basements.