Buyer's Guide

Decide on your budget—not determine how much the mortgage company will give you. In many cases, a mortgage company will pre-approve you for more than you’re comfortable spending. Determine the monthly payment you feel comfortable with before talking to a lender.

Buying a home may be the biggest financial decision you'll ever make. You want to be sure your finances are solid. Reviewing your current expenses, including what you are paying for rent (or current mortgage) utilities, parking, and insurance, will help you determine what you feel comfortable paying for a mortgage (which includes insurance and property taxes). Take into consideration that a condominium will have an HOA fee which is separate from your mortgage. 

When you've determined what you can afford, calculate a down payment. While 20% down payments used to be the norm, many homeowners opt to put down less. Not sure what your best option is? Contact us for more details. #HomeLifeStyle

You've got your preapproval in hand. Check! You know what kind of home you're looking for. Check! The right real estate agent makes all the difference throughout the process home buying process. From knowing the ins and outs of the local market to providing moral support when the search feels endless to helping you structure and negotiate the offer.

We meet with you to discuss your goal of homeownership.  With 23 years of top producing experience, we are knowledgeable about the market - locally, regionally, and nationally.  We listen to your wants and needs and provide guidance in helping you identify properties that fit your criteria. Our experience, industry relationships, and wealth of knowledge will benefit you. An informed and experienced agent looking out for your best interest brings detailed insight into process.  We keep you informed on a regular basis about how your search is being optimized and how your path to homeownership is moving forward.  The Keith Goad Group makes client satisfaction our top priority. #ClientSatisfaction

This should be the most enjoyable step of the entire process (other than moving in!). We will arrange showings of homes you’re interested in that are within your price range. Take notes about what you like and don’t like, and make sure to pay attention to details. Turn light switches on and off, open and close doors, and run the faucets in various rooms. Don’t limit your inspection to the home itself. Make sure to take time to explore the neighborhood and keep an eye on traffic at certain times of the day, the parking situation, and how close it is to necessities like schools and grocery stores.

In most cases, your offer will be contingent on having the home inspected to ensure there is no major structural damage or large repairs needed. We can help you arrange this, and you can schedule it within days of making an offer. If there are no major issues, the process goes to step eight. If there is, you can renegotiate your offer based on what needs to be fixed, or you can withdraw it.

Your lender will have your new home appraised so they have their independent value of it. The appraisal is to ensure that all parties involved are paying a fair price for the house.