Buyers

Everything You Need to Know About Buying a House

Looking for a new home can be an exciting and challenging experience. Having a real estate professional that takes the time to understand your unique needs and lifestyle is important. We work hard to not only find the perfect home for you, but also to handle every last detail of the purchase process, from negotiating the terms of sale to recommending moving companies. That’s why it’s so important that the agent you choose to guide you through this journey is your trusted expert and advocate. We have a team of experienced, qualified real estate professionals ready to help you find homes for sale that meet all of your criteria. 

To help you get started on buying your new home we’ve broken the process down into 3 Phases so you can take them each one step at a time.


Buying a House: Phase 1

Make A Plan and Hire Your Team!

  • Step 1: Hire Your Agent – A licensed real estate professional provides much more than the service of helping you find your ideal home.
  • Step 2: Secure Financing – Unless you’ve got a rather large coffee can of cash buried in the back yard, chances are you’ll need to obtain a loan to purchase your home.
  • Step 3: Narrow Criteria – The next priority is to develop a detailed description of the home you hope to find. This is where the Buyer Consultation comes in handy.

Buying a House: Phase 2

Find The House and Make An Offer

  • Step 1: Find Your Home – Searching for homes is a little like dating: you have a pretty good idea what will make a good match, but you never know exactly when the sparks will fly.
  • Step 2: Make an Offer – You’ve found a home you absolutely love. Now you need to make a compelling offer.
  • Step 3: Under Contract – You’re Under Contract on your new home! The day you go under contract the clock starts ticking on several important timelines.

Buying a House: Phase 3

Perform Due Diligence and Prepare For Closing

  • Step 1: Perform Due Diligence – Just because you love a particular property doesn’t mean it’s perfect. We always recommend our clients do a home and termite inspection during their Due Diligence period.
  • Step 2: Appraisal – After inspections are complete and any repairs agreed upon, the next step is for the Lender to order the Appraisal.
  • Step 3: Underwriting – You know the part where the lender really makes sure the “I’s” are dotted and the “T’s” are crossed? This is it.
  • Step 4: Closing! – You’ve made it! Closing day is in sight! Closings in Georgia typically take place at an attorney’s office.

Financing

Know Your Options

Most people believe you still need a 20% down payment to get a mortgage. Not true! There are a variety of loan options available, some with little to no money down. Have you served in the military? Check out the VA loan. Don’t have a lot of money for down payment or considering buying your first home? An FHA loan might be the right fit for you. Want to do some renovations to the house? There are several home renovation loans available. Don’t want to pay PMI? Then go for the Conventional loan. Ready to explore your options?

Common types of mortgage loans include:

  • Conventional
  • FHA
  • VA
  • USDA Rural
  • Renovation/Construction

Visit our Mortgage 101 page to learn more about each of these loan options and what to expect from your lender.


HOW DO I FIX MY CREDIT?

One of the first things any lender will do is to check your credit. The lender wants to make sure they’re making a loan to someone who is financially sound. We all know things happen in life that can affect our credit score like medical bills, outstanding credit card balances, and amount of loans just to name a few. In this guide we will show you how the three different credit agencies handle credit repair.


MORTGAGE CALCULATOR

Resources

FIRST TIME BUYER 101

We’re here to help first time home buyers sift through the myths and the truths about buying your first home. We want you to be a smart home buyer and will inform you about the whole process at every stage. We’ve broken down the home buying adventure into five topics.


 10 Things NOT to do When Buying a House 

Put our buying guide to work. This guide will show you exactly what to avoid when buying a house.


HOME STYLES IN SAVANNAH

Love a Craftsman Bungalow? Curious about what Mid-Century Modern really means? We’ve compiled a list of the most common home styles in Savannah. Visit the link above to learn more.


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