Checklist to purchase a home

1. Familiarize yourself with the mortgage process by talking to a mortgage broker.

2. Get pre-qualified and pre-approved by a mortgage broker. It is important that you do this first because your Agent will need your mortgage qualification, and it will significantly strengthen your offer when you find a home.

3. Be aware of your credit situation. You can get a free copy of your credit report once a year @ http://www.annualcreditreport.com.

4. Find a good Agent. One you can trust. It is important to do this before you start looking for homes.

5. Make a decision as to the type of home you are looking for: Single Family, townhouse or condo.

6. Determine what your housing needs and wants are to be able to look for the right type of home setting.

7. If you are planning on buying a resale or building a new home. If building is your option please contact us by clicking here.

8. Keep a scorecard for each house to help you keep track of the properties you've seen.

9. Familiarize yourself with how to set a value on a house. This can save you a great deal of time as well as it can help you avoid disappointments.

10. When you find an acceptable house, write an offer.

11. Negotiate your best deal using the information you have acquired.

12. Arrange for home inspection. Protect yourself and do not skip this step! You need to find out if the house needs anything fixed before you purchase it.

13. Learn about home warranties and what they cover.

14. Compare and secure homeowners insurance. Since homeowners insurance is a long term expense, getting the best deal here brings savings that continue.

15. Arrange for closing agent or find out the name of the title company performing the closing so you can contact the agent.

16. Make moving plans. If you plan to use a moving company, compare several companies to hire the best one for you.

17. Secure final loan approval and commitment from the lending institution. If you have done your "up-front" work, this should be one of your easiest steps.

18. Do a final walk through of the house.

19. Review the Final Settlement and HUD with your real estate agent so you can sign all the paperwork during closing.

20. Enjoy your new acquisition!!!!!!!