As homeowners ourselves, we know how important home ownership is! That's why we are committed to sharing our knowledge and experience with you, the home buyer. We help you achieve your dream of finding and owning the perfect home. Have you wondered what the House Buying Process is? Here we explain it all in an easy-to-understand, step-by-step layout.

Whether you're buying for the first time or the tenth time it's important to speak with a local lender prior to your search. Credit report errors, qualifying rule changes, closing costs and other areas of the loan process should be resolved as soon as possible. Pre-qualification will take the guess work out of how much you plan to spend and what your closing costs and down payment will be. Being pre-qualified strengthens your negotiating posture when you make an offer on a home. It tells the seller that a mortgage professional has given you the go ahead guaranteeing the deal. Knowing the financing picture lets you prepare up-front if you need the seller to participate in your closing costs. We will supply you with the names of several lenders who will be happy to provide this service to you, although this will not lock you into any particular lender. Once your contract has been accepted you will have several days to make loan application and we will shop for the best terms and rate for you at that time.

Usually the counseling session is held at our office so that you can meet the team and see how we all serve you. We will discuss agency and you will choose how we will represent you in the transaction. We will review the state agency form and our buyer agency agreement. We will work with you whether you want to buy a home through the multiple listing service, a builder, a bank foreclosure, or a for sale by owner. We will search the multiple listing service and produce a list that fits your criteria. We also enter you as a prospect in the computer so that we are notified daily as new homes come on the market that meet your requirements. We will also be continually on the lookout for builder homes (not in the MLS) and for sale by owners, however this group is only about 5-10% of the market.

At this session we will also discuss your interests and what you feel you need in a home. If we understand your lifestyle, we will be better prepared to help you evaluate each home.

Depending on your time frame we will do one of two things. We will give you a list and a map to do some neighborhood exploring on your own. If you have a limited time frame, we will take you out to look at property.

Although we are not accountants we will discuss some of the tax advantages of owning a home and show you the secrets of how to utilize these tax advantages as additional cash flow to purchase more home than you think. As licensed mortgage brokers, we have the insider secrets on how to get the best mortgage for you.

A word of caution about agents. Some buyers like to leave their name and needs with four or five salespeople. Because the buyer is not committed to one real estate professional, no one real estate professional will be committed to them. It is in your interest to meet agents for a counseling session and then decide who will best represent you in your real estate transactions. If we are the team you choose, we ask for your loyalty in return by working with us exclusively. This is the best way for you to have a dedicated team who will take on the personal responsibility of handling all the details of your upcoming home purchase. If you give your loyalty to us, you will be rewarded.

There are several things to keep in mind when evaluating homes. While you're looking, try to remain focused on the needs you discussed with us in the counseling session. Don't forget your basic needs. Keeping the best three choices in mind, disregarding all others, will keep you from feeling confused and frustrated.

Remember that you may be entering a new market. You need to know that houses in the Greater Puget Sound sell at 98% to 100% of list price across the board. That means that a house listed at $100,000 will more than likely sell for $98,000 or more. However, many houses sell for full price due to accurate pricing or added concessions such as closing costs, appliances, etc. This may be very different than your market, but it is a good thing as overpriced property sticks out clearly.

We will help you learn market value and help evaluate the condition of the home by pointing out possible repairs and maintenance items. In each home, we will discuss how your lifestyle will be complemented, taking into account school distance, house construction, age, yard space, and more.

You may find the right home in the first few you look at. Don't be afraid to make an offer. If you are clear in what you want at the counseling session, we will be looking only at houses that fit your needs.

Once you decide on the house that best suits your needs, we will examine the past sales and determine fair market value. We will write the contract and accompanying addendums and disclosures and review them with you. Usually you will need to put earnest money as a deposit in our escrow account which goes 100% towards the purchase. We will present the offer and negotiate on your behalf to get you the best deal possible. This process takes anywhere from one to four days, depending on the negotiation style and availability of the buyers and sellers.

Finding the house is fun. After the deal is done comes the paperwork and closing details. Our team concept will make this process much easier for you. After your contract is accepted you will have seven days to apply for your mortgage. Remember that as licensed mortgage brokers we will negotiate on your behalf for the best rate and terms possible. Our best lenders often have special better than market deals due to the high loan volume we create for them. Our volume truly is your gain. We can have you in your new home in as little as two weeks, though closings typically take four to five weeks.

We will assist you in making arrangements to have the house professionally inspected. If there are repairs to be done we will oversee arrangements for that. We will arrange for your title policy, termite inspection and whatever else is necessary.

If you are selling a home, we will do our best to help you move from your existing home into the new one in one easy, coordinated step. We will do everything necessary to insure a smooth close.

We look forward to a long relationship. We want you to call us anytime. We will be happy to provide you with suggestions of decorators, painters, landscape architects, babysitters or restaurants. Call us for an updated market analysis for your insurance, refinancing or other needs.

Remember, we want to be your REALTORŪs for life. Thanks for your time and we look forward to working with you.