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Buyer's Guide

Everything you need to know about searching for the perfect home, making an offer, and successfully closing on your new property.
 

A Step-by-Step First Time Buyer's Guide

Buying a home is one of the most exciting milestones of your life. To prepare yourself for this moment, you need to know what to expect during the process. This step-by-step first time buyer’s guide created by our team will help reduce the stress of buying a home and help you enjoy the journey as much as possible.

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Step 1: Research

Do you already know where you want to buy? If you want a condo, townhome, or single-family home? Which features do you like and dislike? What’s available on the market now? If you answered no to any of these questions, now is the time to start researching. In addition to looking for homes that interest you, also take note of any changes in asking prices. This could give you valuable insight into housing trends in specific neighborhoods and help you when the time comes to make an offer.

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Step 2: Decide on Your Budget

Notice we said to 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, which is why you need to determine the monthly payment you feel comfortable with before talking to a lender. This likely includes doing a full household budget and taking into consideration what changes other than a mortgage payment will occur once you move into your new home. If you’ve lived in an apartment or with roommates, you may overlook new expenses like garbage, water, or HOA fees that could easily blow your budget.

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Step 3: Get Prequalified

Just because you think you can afford a certain payment every month doesn’t mean the mortgage company will agree. Just as they may approve you for too large of an amount, they may also approve you for a lesser amount or deny you a mortgage altogether. Lack of time at a job, insufficient credit, past bankruptcies, or other financial issues can cause major problems when trying to secure a mortgage. Before you get your heart set on a home, talk to a mortgage professional to find out what amount you can qualify for. This will also be an advantage when you make an offer on a home, as some sellers won’t entertain offers from those who aren’t already prequalified for a loan.

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Step 4: Choose Real Estate Experts

Can you shop for, look at, and ultimately make an offer on a home without real estate experts? Technically yes, but why would you when it costs you nothing for agents like us to take much of the stress off your shoulders? Not only will we help identify properties you might be interested in, arrange showings, and ultimately handle the offer process, but we also have knowledge of the market that you don’t possess. Finding the perfect home can be a daunting task, this is where our expertise and wealth of knowledge come into play. Let us show you around some homes that meet your dream home criteria so you can find the one that's right for you.

Passion & Expertise

Our goal is to provide you with the most personalized service possible, meticulously designed to help you navigate the process of buying your dream home. We are dedicated to understanding your unique needs and preferences, ensuring that every step of the journey is tailored to achieve your ultimate home-buying aspirations.

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Step 5: Find the Right Home

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.

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Step 6: Make an Offer

Once you have selected the perfect home, work with your agent to craft a fair offer based on the value of comparable homes on the market. Depending on what the home is listed at and whether the current environment is a buyer’s or seller’s market, your offer may be below, at, or even above the asking price. We will be able to help you negotiate if you receive a counteroffer and reach an agreement. At this point, the house will go into escrow.

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Step 7: Have the Home Inspected

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.

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Step 8: Select Your Loan

Now is the time to go back to the mortgage lender who pre-approved or pre-qualified you and choose your mortgage. You will be presented with various options based on your unique financial situation, including fixed-rate, variable-rate, 15-year, 30-year, or special programs such as VA loans or FHA loans. Work with your mortgage lender to select the option you feel the most comfortable with.

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Step 9: Get a Home Appraisal

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.

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Step 10: Finish Paperwork

No one looks forward to all the paperwork involved in buying a home, but it’s a necessary part of the process. Fortunately, everything will be arranged by your lender and title company and, when you’re finished, you’ll know you are the legal owner of your new home.

Congratulations!

After signing the final paperwork to complete the purchase, you are now the owner of a new house. It may take a few days for your loan to be funded once the paperwork has been returned to the lender, but once that check is delivered to the seller, you’ll be all set to move into the home of your dreams. 

See Why Our Clients Love Us

Testimonials

Read what our clients have to say about working with us.

"After many offers and many reasons they fell through, Tawnie was patient and kind and always encouraging that our property would sell! And sell it did! At a great price! We are so thankful that she never gave up and was always there for us!"
"After many offers and many reasons they fell through, Tawnie was patient and kind and always encouraging that our property would sell! And sell it did! At a great price! We are so thankful that she never gave up and was always there for us!"
Marilyn F.
"Tawnie was helpful throughout the entire sale of our home. She responded to late night and weekend texts to make sure I felt secure in the process."
"Tawnie was helpful throughout the entire sale of our home. She responded to late night and weekend texts to make sure I felt secure in the process."
Regiena I.
"First time home buyer that needed the expertise of someone that knows the area and makes sure you have what is needed to make the best decision. I couldn’t have asked for a better partner in this journey. Tawnie is the best at this, and we will never use anyone else. Thank you for making one of life’s most stressful moments feel so special for our family. We are so grateful for all that you did for us during this journey."
"First time home buyer that needed the expertise of someone that knows the area and makes sure you have what is needed to make the best decision. I couldn’t have asked for a better partner in this journey. Tawnie is the best at this, and we will never use anyone else. Thank you for making one of life’s most stressful moments feel so special for our family. We are so grateful for all that you did for us during this journey."
Alan S.
"Tawnie was on task from start to finish. She assisted us with the sale of our home of 28 years and the purchase of our new home. I couldn’t have asked for a more communicative and responsive realtor. Tawnie’s dedication and professionalism made the entire process smooth and stress-free. I’m so grateful to have known Tawnie for years, and my sons grew up with her. Her personal touch and deep understanding of our needs truly set her apart. I highly recommend Tawnie to anyone looking to buy or sell a home. She is a true professional and a pleasure to work with. Thank you, Tawnie, for making our home-selling and buying experience so positive!"
"Tawnie was on task from start to finish. She assisted us with the sale of our home of 28 years and the purchase of our new home. I couldn’t have asked for a more communicative and responsive realtor. Tawnie’s dedication and professionalism made the entire process smooth and stress-free. I’m so grateful to have known Tawnie for years, and my sons grew up with her. Her personal touch and deep understanding of our needs truly set her apart. I highly recommend Tawnie to anyone looking to buy or sell a home. She is a true professional and a pleasure to work with. Thank you, Tawnie, for making our home-selling and buying experience so positive!"
Holly P.
"Tawnie did a fantastic job for us. She was very knowledgeable of the market and looked out for our interests. I wouldn’t hesitate to call on her again."
"Tawnie did a fantastic job for us. She was very knowledgeable of the market and looked out for our interests. I wouldn’t hesitate to call on her again."
Janice P.
"Every aspect of selling our home far exceeded our expectations. Tawnie handled everything professionally and made the sale effortless on our part!"
"Every aspect of selling our home far exceeded our expectations. Tawnie handled everything professionally and made the sale effortless on our part!"
Nancy C.
"Tawnie was such a pleasure to work with! She was professional, knowledgeable and very attentive to all our needs through the process! I would highly recommend her to all my friends and family."
"Tawnie was such a pleasure to work with! She was professional, knowledgeable and very attentive to all our needs through the process! I would highly recommend her to all my friends and family."
Brittany R.
"Tawnie did an excellent job selling my home! She was professional and made the process seamless. My house was under contract in 3 days!"
"Tawnie did an excellent job selling my home! She was professional and made the process seamless. My house was under contract in 3 days!"
Kimberlee M.
"I am not sure words can express how grateful we were to have Tawnie and her team during this process. Many factors outside of our control made some of the critical moments very uncertain, but Tawnie’s confidence, and ultimately her ability to resolve every issue we encountered, is how we got to the finish line. We have worked with Tawnie now over 7 years, and I think that was our 5th home transaction over the years, buying and or selling a home around St. Cloud, with Tawnie. We have always felt Tawnie represented us exactly as we asked, and provided all the details we asked. We will call Tawnie again one day if we move, and we will continue to recommend her without hesitation, thank you again Tawnie. We appreciate it."
"I am not sure words can express how grateful we were to have Tawnie and her team during this process. Many factors outside of our control made some of the critical moments very uncertain, but Tawnie’s confidence, and ultimately her ability to resolve every issue we encountered, is how we got to the finish line. We have worked with Tawnie now over 7 years, and I think that was our 5th home transaction over the years, buying and or selling a home around St. Cloud, with Tawnie. We have always felt Tawnie represented us exactly as we asked, and provided all the details we asked. We will call Tawnie again one day if we move, and we will continue to recommend her without hesitation, thank you again Tawnie. We appreciate it."
Ralph D.
"Excellent Realtor Chris communicates well; provides an honest opinion; listens to clients' needs; ensures items are followed through."
"Excellent Realtor Chris communicates well; provides an honest opinion; listens to clients' needs; ensures items are followed through."
Diana L.
"Very helpful Very knowledgeable, always quick to respond, and a very good communicator. Has a great ability to help and talk you through the questions and concerns that come with selling a home."
"Very helpful Very knowledgeable, always quick to respond, and a very good communicator. Has a great ability to help and talk you through the questions and concerns that come with selling a home."
Middleton Family Trust
"5 Star Service! Chris always is very professional and gives great market and negotiation advice. I would highly recommend him!"
"5 Star Service! Chris always is very professional and gives great market and negotiation advice. I would highly recommend him!"
Nathan P.
"The very best experience! Chris made the process of selling this home a breeze! He was very knowledgeable & dedicated throughout the entire sale. His communication was prompt, and his answers were always very helpful. We could not have asked for a better experience & we recommend everyone to use Chris as their realtor!"
"The very best experience! Chris made the process of selling this home a breeze! He was very knowledgeable & dedicated throughout the entire sale. His communication was prompt, and his answers were always very helpful. We could not have asked for a better experience & we recommend everyone to use Chris as their realtor!"
Jason O.
"Chris was extremely patient with us in a 4-year search for a home. He earned a high degree of trust. Chris is quite aware of market trends, and was able to advise us relative to offers and contracts we made on multiple properties. Each time we walked away from a property due to inspection findings, he simply generated the proper documents with no debate or pressure to lower our expectations. He always arranged consultations with professionals for us in a very timely manner after offering us multiple choices. When the National Assn. if Realtors changed rules for the payment of buyers' agent commission, Chris was flexible in his negotiation, and helpful in negotiations with the seller's agent. His frank manner of communicating his advice and demonstrating he heard our inputs made us very comfortable with him. He went the extra mile to dig out information available (apparently) only to realtors. He even executed a "cold call" to an owner of a home not on the market at our request."
"Chris was extremely patient with us in a 4-year search for a home. He earned a high degree of trust. Chris is quite aware of market trends, and was able to advise us relative to offers and contracts we made on multiple properties. Each time we walked away from a property due to inspection findings, he simply generated the proper documents with no debate or pressure to lower our expectations. He always arranged consultations with professionals for us in a very timely manner after offering us multiple choices. When the National Assn. if Realtors changed rules for the payment of buyers' agent commission, Chris was flexible in his negotiation, and helpful in negotiations with the seller's agent. His frank manner of communicating his advice and demonstrating he heard our inputs made us very comfortable with him. He went the extra mile to dig out information available (apparently) only to realtors. He even executed a "cold call" to an owner of a home not on the market at our request."
Larry and Glenna D.
"Chris is hands down the best realtor! Chris has been my agent for 4 years now! He always has my best interest and makes sure everything is done in a timely manner. Making it effortless for his buyers and sellers! I highly recommend Chris to anyone who is looking for a realtor."
"Chris is hands down the best realtor! Chris has been my agent for 4 years now! He always has my best interest and makes sure everything is done in a timely manner. Making it effortless for his buyers and sellers! I highly recommend Chris to anyone who is looking for a realtor."
Buyer
"I can't say enough about how amazing Stephanie Peterson is. She made our entire home selling experience smooth and stress-free. Stephanie is very knowledgeable in every aspect of both selling and buying a home. She has an amazing network of businesses that she works with such as, photographers, lenders, closers and service companies. She was available to us anytime, and responded to messages very promptly. I highly recommend Stephanie Peterson for your home selling/buying!"
"I can't say enough about how amazing Stephanie Peterson is. She made our entire home selling experience smooth and stress-free. Stephanie is very knowledgeable in every aspect of both selling and buying a home. She has an amazing network of businesses that she works with such as, photographers, lenders, closers and service companies. She was available to us anytime, and responded to messages very promptly. I highly recommend Stephanie Peterson for your home selling/buying!"
Lisa H.
"Great experience, as we all know sells a home can be stressful. Stephanie, well all we say from the introduction, to the closing, she was on top of her game, she kept us updated on every step of the way; no matter how minor or so called big, which there were no major issues. I’ve sold a few homes in the course of my life, this was the smoothest sale I’ve ever done and NO THIS IS NOT A PAID ADVERTISEMENT. "
"Great experience, as we all know sells a home can be stressful. Stephanie, well all we say from the introduction, to the closing, she was on top of her game, she kept us updated on every step of the way; no matter how minor or so called big, which there were no major issues. I’ve sold a few homes in the course of my life, this was the smoothest sale I’ve ever done and NO THIS IS NOT A PAID ADVERTISEMENT. "
Lenny M.
"Stephanie was amazing! From start to finish, Stephanie was great. She is a person that is trustworthy and will tell you the best way to handle things. Simply put I would recommend her to anyone. Thank you Stephanie for being you! "
"Stephanie was amazing! From start to finish, Stephanie was great. She is a person that is trustworthy and will tell you the best way to handle things. Simply put I would recommend her to anyone. Thank you Stephanie for being you! "
Sharise S.
"While we thoroughly enjoyed our 11 years in St. Cloud/North Shore Subdivision (what a great place to have raised our kids), we had felt the pull towards Brevard County for some time. Lydia and Tie Team Realty made that happen for us as evident in the record time we received an offer (11 days) and closed (31 days). Eric and I wholeheartedly recommend Lydia Morrison to anyone thinking of buying or selling in the future. She was 100% professional and made the process so easy for us. Because we chose to move out of our house before we listed it, having Lydia right there in the neighborhood gave us peace of mind. She drove by our house daily on her golf cart rides with her girls to check on the house. She stopped by before and after every showing to make sure that lights were on/off and the AC was set accordingly. She made the negotiations easy for us. She was able to help us navigate all of the ins and outs of the transaction including a last minute title search/permit issue that was resolved within a day. Being away from our home and in a different county could have been a nightmare, but Lydia made it easy for us. We couldn't have asked for a better realtor. Thanks, Lydia!"
"While we thoroughly enjoyed our 11 years in St. Cloud/North Shore Subdivision (what a great place to have raised our kids), we had felt the pull towards Brevard County for some time. Lydia and Tie Team Realty made that happen for us as evident in the record time we received an offer (11 days) and closed (31 days). Eric and I wholeheartedly recommend Lydia Morrison to anyone thinking of buying or selling in the future. She was 100% professional and made the process so easy for us. Because we chose to move out of our house before we listed it, having Lydia right there in the neighborhood gave us peace of mind. She drove by our house daily on her golf cart rides with her girls to check on the house. She stopped by before and after every showing to make sure that lights were on/off and the AC was set accordingly. She made the negotiations easy for us. She was able to help us navigate all of the ins and outs of the transaction including a last minute title search/permit issue that was resolved within a day. Being away from our home and in a different county could have been a nightmare, but Lydia made it easy for us. We couldn't have asked for a better realtor. Thanks, Lydia!"
Eric and Melissa C. (Seller)

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