Just over two years ago, I jumped into the world of real estate. Let me just say that’s probably one of the scariest things I’ve ever done. There are so many horror stories that realtors, sellers and buyers have about real estate. I wanted to be the difference. I want to be the person that gives the clients who had a bad experience with other realtors a life changing one. I want people to see the good in realtors. In a short 2 1/2 year time frame, I have accomplished a lot more than I ever anticipated. In my first year, I was named 2017 Rookie of the Year and Million Dollar Producer. In my second year, I was nominated for 10 Best Realtors in Louisiana,I gladly accepted and finished out the year as a Multi-Million Dollar Producer. This year I’ve also had the honor of representing the realtors of the Greater Fort Polk Area Realtors as a member of our board. It’s been a fast couple of years, but I love it!

Have you ever considered purchasing a home, but don’t know where to start? Well here’s an idea of what to expect when purchasing a home and the steps to take to get there!

1. Speak to a mortgage lender! Many real estate agents can help you with recommendations or you may already have someone in mind. The lender is going to be able to help you determine how much you are pre-approved for and where you feel the most comfortable price wise when picking a home. You will want to make sure you have things such as tax returns and pay stubs readily available for the lender to review.
2. Find a real estate agent! You may look at Realtor.com, Zillow, Trulia, Facebook or friends for recommendations and reviews. Make sure you take the time to see what Realtor would best fit you and your family. Make sure the Realtor you choose always keeps your best interest at heart. It’s ok to interview them as well to see if they are a good fit 🙂
3. Start looking at homes! You’ve probably already discussed yours needs and wants with the realtor you have chosen. This is where your realtors knowledge of the market comes into play. They are looking for the perfect home in your price range, that fits your needs and is in the location you are looking for. This is also a great opportunity to decide if what’s in your search criteria needs to be tweaked to better fit what you’re looking for. Most of the time once someone sees a few homes they know exactly what they are looking for and can rule out ones that don’t fit
4. You’ve found a home! Now it’s time to put in your offer. This is where your agent will walk you through the process explaining everything that can happen throughout the process and help you create the offer for your dream home! Negotiation is key here! If the offer is accepted, keep moving forward, but if the offer isn’t accepted you may consider renegotiating with that home owner by submitting another offer or you may consider going back to #3 and looking at more homes.
5. Once your offer is accepted, your Realtor works hand in hand with a few different people for you. They get your accepted offer to your lender so they can begin your loan process. They get your contract to the closing attorney or title company of your choice to make sure the home you are looking to purchase has a clear title. This is one of the most exciting times!
6. Home Inspection Day! If your offer called for an inspection, this is the time frame you spend the most time with the home before you close. If you chose to hire a professional home inspector, they will come in and do a thorough inspection to help you better understand the home and if there are any repairs that you might want to request be repaired. During your inspection period, you want to make sure you’ve completed your due diligence and checked out everything that might be concerning to you so you have complete knowledge of the home you are looking to buy.
7. Appraisal time! With most loans, your lender will require an appraisal to make sure the home meets the value of the loan you are trying to obtain. This is a crucial time because you want to insure you are getting a great value for your home.
8. Finalize the final items! This is when you make sure you have home owners insurance locked in. If you do not have an insurance agent, make sure you get a few recommendations and shop your quote. The amount you pay in insurance also helps determine exactly how much money you pay each month when you make your monthly home payment. You also want to make sure you get your utilities set up for transfer. Your Realtor can help you so you know exactly what companies to contact. You don’t want to close on the home then have no utilities to come home to! Most sellers have utilities set to cut off upon closing.
9. Final Walk Through! This is your last look at the home before your closing date. This is where we insure the home is still in the same condition and all repairs, if any, have been repaired according to the contract.
10. Closing Day! This is the day you’ve been waiting for! Be prepared to “sign your life away” at the closing table. You will have multiple documents to sign that all pertain to the purchase of the home. This is where you typically receive the keys to the home and now it’s time to move in, unless otherwise agreed upon! Now you’re done and it’s time to move in!

The home buying process doesn’t have to be scary at all. Realtors like myself are here to help you through the way. We are supposed to make it as easy as possible for you so you experience a smooth transition. I often tell my clients at the closing table, just because it’s over doesn’t mean I’m not still there. I’ve been put on clients contact lists for their kids at schools, have helped with fundraisers they might have had through out the year, celebrated holidays together and just overall come out with some great friends in the process! I enjoy every bit of what I do and would love to make you apart of my journey!

“Just like any job, if you don’t go to work consistently you will be unemployed. If you treat it like a business, it will pay you like a business.” – Matt Hughes, President Greater Baton Rouge Association of Realtors