Let J. Briann Realty Group, Inc. assist you with purchasing a home in West Palm Beach

With some up-front planning, buying a home isn't very complicated, but the event can be stressful for many people. So you'll understand exactly what to expect, I like to provide my buyers with an overview of the entire deal. Here are my nine steps to purchasing a home.

Step 1 – Prepare to purchase
Before you begin looking for a home, there are many things you need to contemplate. When you begin your search, you'll probably want to form an index of must-have features, plan for what neighborhoods and school districts you want to live in, and begin planning around your budget. Keeping your mortgage payment less than 30 percent of your net monthly income is a good rule of thumb to go by.

Step 2 – Communicate with a real estate agent
This is where J. Briann Realty Group, Inc. can help. I'd be happy to schedule a time to meet with you and speak with you about why you want to buy a home and get an idea of your future plans. We'll discuss the mortgage and housing industries, other economic factors that may potentially affect your buying decision today or in the future, as well as neighborhoods and school districts in the West Palm Beach area.

I can also help you facilitate the loan process. There are some great mortgage professionals in West Palm Beach, and I work with a lot of them, so you'll be in great hands. They will assist you in deciding which kind of loan is best for you and help you get approved.

Step 3 – Start looking for a home
After our initial meeting, I'll start searching for houses on the market that are a great fit for you. I'll preview many of the houses and ignore the duds, and then we'll book appointments to view the houses at a time that's convenient for you.

When we tour the houses, I'll point out good features and bad ones. And I'll ask you what things you like and don't like. Usually, buyers change their list of must-haves as we tour houses and some features become far more necessary than others. If such is the case, I'll go back through all the listings again and trim it down to the house of your dreams.

Step 4 – Understand the market
My awareness of the West Palm Beach housing market is a fundamental asset in your home search. I am mindful of all the schools and neighborhoods, and I will alert you to which areas are "hot" and demand immediate action and the ones that are "cool" and allow for thoughtful analysis.

When we tour houses, I'll let you know if the seller's asking price has room for negotiation or if I believe the home is "priced to sell." Any REALTOR^® in West Palm Beach will claim to understand the market, but take note, and be sure to ask your agent lots of questions. If things don't add up, call me at 561-688-1316 or e-mail me at jbriannrealty@gmail.com, and I'll be glad to answer your questions. My knowledge of the market will keep you a step above the rest through the entire deal.

Step 5 – Find the home you've been looking for
I'm positive we'll find your dream home in West Palm Beach. When we do, I'll carefully create your purchase offer. The offer will be tailored exactly to your needs, including a lot of contingencies. A few examples are getting financing, finishing the inspection, and a clean title.

Upon submitting your purchase offer, you'll probably want to present "earnest money." This is a cash deposit made to a home seller to secure the offer to purchase the property and is often put towards the closing costs. If your offer is accepted, we should close on the home about 30 to 60 days after. This allows ample time for your mortgage financing.

Step 6 – Negotiate the deal
Unfortunately most contracts aren't closed on the initial offer. It's really common to receive a counter offer. Don't let it discourage you. We'll consider whether or not to accept the counter offer, submit our own counter offer, or reject the seller's offer and go on.

Market circumstances determine how aggressively we negotiate the contract. We'll also work within your financing limits. And at the end of the day, we'll assemble a deal that is best for you.

Step 7 – Obtain a loan
Once the contract is finished, you'll start working with your lender to close the loan. This shouldn't be a long process at all if you're pre-qualified, but you need to stay in close contact with your lender. And I'll handle all the property information your lender needs to close the loan.>

Step 8 – Close the deal
You'll get a Good Faith Estimate (GFE) outlining closing costs from your lender within three days of receiving your loan application. This estimate is based on the loan amount, and RESPA requirements mandate that it has to include all closing costs and be within a strict range of accuracy. I'll analyze the estimate and let you know if it all looks adequate.

Then we'll close on your house. This will most likely occur at a title company or escrow office and will most often be a smooth and easygoing occurrence.

Step 9 – Move in
You made it! It's time to move into your new house. Enjoy it. And if you have any questions, just contact me at 561-688-1316 or send me an e-mail.