Not knowing where to begin can make a first-time buyer feel extremely overwhelmed. We have written this blog post to help you start the process. It is important to keep in mind that you should be patient while relying on your realtor to make buying a home a learning experience. Take a deep breath and enjoy finding your home.
We also have laid out common pitfalls of first-time buyers in this Blog Post: Common Pitfalls of 1st-Time Buyers and How to Avoid Them
Step 1: Determine your budget. What is the minimum I can spend? What is the maximum that I can spend? What type of loan will work best for me? Thankfully, we have made it easy and we recommend that you use our Mortgage Qualifier tool to help you out.
Step 2: Get pre-qualified & pre-approved. In this fast-moving market, you want to get a pre-qualified loan so you do not miss out on the house that you want.
Step 3: Vet all of your real estate brokers. Everyone seems to know a cousin or a friend of a friend who works in real estate. But just because they know someone does not mean that they are the best fit for you.
Step 4: Complete our Buyers Wish List. Everyone has certain preferences – do you want a home in the suburbs or near downtown. Victorian or Denver Square? Our Buyers Wish List shows you the different styles and helps you to determine what you like so we can match a home to your preferences.
Step 5: Use our up-to-date and easy to use Property Search. Unlike Zillow, our database is updated in real-time whereas Zillow’s properties are lagging.
Step 6: Schedule a showing and start looking at houses.
Step 7: Found a house you like? Make an offer.
Step 8: Get an inspection and make sure you adhere to all of the contractual deadlines.
Step 9: Close on the house, move in and enjoy.