Real Estate Tips

Buying

Knowledge and experience are the keys to a successful real estate transaction. We have the knowledge and experience necessary to help make the home-buying process easier and more understandable. Because our goal at HomeSmart is to provide you with the most informative and professional services available, we have included an overview of what to expect throughout the home-buying process.

The next step is to speak with a lender and complete a loan application. This will allow the lender to issue a pre-approval letter, which MUST be submitted with all offers to purchase. After you have determined which loan program best fits your needs, you will create a detailed description of the home you hope to find. We will use this criteria to refine your search and focus on homes that offer the features most desirable to you. During the search process, we will familiarize you with the most commonly used documents in real estate transactions.

Once you have located the property you wish to purchase, We will assist you in establishing the offer you would like to make. Remember, this will include not just the price, but terms and conditions as well. After your offer has been accepted, your HomeSmart agent will begin the escrow process by depositing your earnest money at the title company you have chosen.

Now that you have a property in escrow, there are several inspections that will need to take place. We will help you to determine which inspections are appropriate for the property, and make sure that they are conducted during the time period specified in the purchase agreement.

In order to protect your investment, there are several types of insurance available to be places on the property. Some of the most common are homeowners, title and flood insurance. Although not an insurance in the typical sense, a home warranty should also be considered when deciding on the protection that is best for you.

Here at HomeSmart, we know that your actual purchase is only part of the overall picture. Our goal is to make sure that the entire process, including the move into your new home, is as smooth a transition as possible. In order to do that, we will provide you with helpful hints such as a change of address checklist, packing tips and an arrival kit checklist.

Before closing on your new home, you will have an opportunity to conduct a final walkthrough of the property and verify that any repairs requested have been completed, and that the property is in substantially the same condition on the date of contract acceptance. Once completed, you will sign all of the necessary documents to finalize the transaction at the title company. When the deed is recorded, the house is yours! Congratulations!

We hope this has been helpful. We are committed to providing the most informative and professional services available now and in the future.

Selling

Knowledge and experience are the keys to a successful real estate transaction. We have the knowledge and experience to make the home-selling process easier and more understandable. Because our goal at HomeSmart is to provide you with the most informative and professional service available, we have included an overview of what you can expect throughout the home-selling process.

The next step is to prepare your home for presentation. We will assist you in preparing your home and will help you see your home from a potential buyer's perspective. This is a great time to consider purchasing a home warranty, the benefits of which we will discuss with you.

When you receive a contract to purchase your home, we will explain the terms to you, and help you to understand the most important terms of the contract. We will also explore all the available information pertaining to the potential buyer, including his/her ability to qualify for a mortgage for your property. We will go over closing costs with you at this time, and will explain what you should expect to net at the close of escrow, should you decide to accept the offer.

Once you have accepted an offer, the buyer of your home has a period of time in which to inspect the property. At this time, we will ask you to fill out a form, generally termed the Property Disclosure Statement, to provide to the buyer. In this document, you will disclose everything you know about the history of the property. The buyer may make physical inspections of the property such as a pest inspection or a full inspection by a certified home inspector. You are not required to be present at the time of the inspections, unless you would like to attend. After the inspection(s), the buyer may make a request that certain repairs be made to the property. We will help you determine which repairs should/shouldn't be completed to help you arrive at a fair agreement.

Here at HomeSmart, we know that the sale of your home is only part of the overall picture. Our goal is to make sure that the entire process, including the move into your new home is as smooth a transition as possible. In order to do that, we will provide you with helpful hints such as packing tips and moving checklists.

A few days prior to closing on the sale of your home, the buyer will have the opportunity to conduct a final walkthrough of the property and verify that nay repairs requested have been completed, and that the property is in substantially the same condition as on the date of contract acceptance. It is around this same time that you will go sign all the closing documents to finalize the sale.

We hope this overview has been helpful. We are committed to providing you with the most informative and professional service available now and in the future.