Start by connecting with a real estate agent (👋 that’s me!). I’ll walk you through the process step-by-step, help you find the right lender, and make sure you’re fully prepped before touring homes.

It’s a myth that you need 20% down! Many buyers get into homes with as little as 3% down (or even 0% with certain loan programs). You’ll also need funds for closing costs and inspections—but I’ll show you where we can negotiate and where we can get creative.

Typically, 620+ will open doors, but some programs accept lower. Don’t count yourself out before we talk—I can connect you with lenders who look at the whole picture, not just the number.

It shifts seasonally, but certain price points (especially under $500k) move fast. I help you make strong, compelling offers without blowing your budget—or losing your sanity.

Focusing too much on the “pretty” and not enough on the bones of the house, the location, or resale potential. Don’t worry—I help you zoom out and see the whole picture (with a little education along the way).

Once you're pre-approved and ready to shop, the average escrow is 30–45 days. I build you a clear timeline so you know what’s next at every stage—no guesswork, no overwhelm.

Short answer: maybe not. Marry the house, date the rate. With seller concessions, rate buydowns, and refinance strategies later, you might get a better deal now than when rates drop and buyer competition spikes.

Not if we do it right. I’m here to help you buy smart—within your means, with the right protections, and with long-term confidence. Real estate is personal, and so is your plan.

If you know where you want to live, have a steady and secure income, and are ready

for the responsibilities of homeownership, then it’s a great time to invest in property.

Contact a mortgage lender to get pre-approval for a loan. The lender will ask you

some basic questions about your income and debts and can tell you what amount you

can be approved for, and how much your mortgage payments will be. Ask me for my

lender recommendations!

Usually, you are asked to provide your last two tax returns to show proof of income.

You should also provide recent bank and credit card statements and proof of your

current pay rate. You will also be asked for your social security number so they can

run a credit check.

While often used interchangeably, these terms don’t mean the same thing. Pre-

qualification is an estimate of what you may be approved for based only on the

verbal information you provide. Pre-approval means the lender has verified your

income and debt information and run a credit check.

Your mortgage lender is the best person to advise you on this question. Their products

and qualifications change from time to time, so they would know best what products

are available to meet your needs.

Call your buyer’s agent: the agent you are working with to find your home. It’s best that you

work with one real estate agent throughout your search because that person learns what you

like and dislike and will invest a lot of time vetting properties for you. That person also

represents your best interests only. When you call the agent advertising the home, you are

dealing with the seller’s agent, so, while they can assist you, you can't guarantee that they are

only trying to get the best price for the seller.

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Absolutely. As a buyer’s agent, I can show you any house listed in our MLS system, and I will

contact FSBO sellers on your behalf. As mentioned above, working with me as your buyer’s

agent ensures that your interests are protected.

When you find the property you want to make an offer on, I will run a Comparative Market

Analysis (CMA) to help you determine a fair offer amount. I will also guide you through the

additional terms of the contract, such as the escrow amount, closing date, and any additional

terms you want to be added to the offer. I will write the offer on a contract form and submit it

to the seller’s agent.

You always have the right to back out of the purchase, but you may lose your escrow deposit.

If thecontract is contingent on a property inspection, you usually have the right to cancel for

any reason during the inspection period. Once the inspection period has passed, you cannot

back out and keep your deposit unless the seller agrees, or an additional term has not been

met.

If a seller receives multiple offers on their home, usually their agent will inform the buyer’s

thatmultiple offers have been received and the buyers have another opportunity to alter their

original offer to present their “highest and best” offer. Keep in mind that many factors may

influence the seller in addition to the offer price, such as the down payment amount, closing

date, and inspection terms.

Once both parties have agreed on all terms and signed the contract, your escrow deposit must

be made and you should schedule the home inspection. Your lender will receive a copy of the

contract and will begin processing your mortgage application.

Under contract means that all parties have agreed on terms, have signed the contract, and

the signed contract has been delivered to both buyer and seller. Payment of the escrow

deposit is expected but is not a requirement to make a binding contract.

The escrow money, escrow deposit, or good faith deposit is money that is offered with an

offer, or as soon as an offer is accepted, to show the seller that you are serious about moving

forward with the purchase of the home. Because you forfeit this deposit if you back out of the

purchase for any reason not allowed for in the contract, the larger the escrow deposit, the

more seriously your offer is taken.

We always recommend that you have a home inspection done. In the scheme of things, paying

a few hundred dollars to have peace of mind that there are no hidden dangers or problems is

well worth the money.

The cost of the home inspection depends on the size of the house and additional inspections

requested, such as swimming pool, septic tank, termites, insurance four-point (HVAC, plumbing,

roof, and electrical,) wind mitigation, and radon. An average home inspection, without

additional inspections, is about $300.

If you have gone through the pre-approval process and have been forthcoming with all the

information requested by your lender, it’s unlikely you will be turned down, but it does happen.

Make sure you do not change jobs, purchase big-ticket items on credit, take out a car or boat

loan, or open any other new credit accounts while your mortgage is being processed. If your

loan does fall through, talk with your lender about changing to a different loan type.

When you have the keys! When you are financing your purchase, it takes four to six weeks for

your loan to be processed. Once the lender gives the all-clear, closing is scheduled. You will

sign your loan documents and both parties will sign documents transferring ownership to you.

Unless other arrangements have been agreed upon by both parties, the sellers should have

completely vacated the home when they sign the closing papers. You can have your belongings

ready to move, and a moving company scheduled before you go to closing. At closing, you will

receive the documentation you need to provide utility companies with proof of your new

residence.