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Buyer's Guide

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. 

Client Success Stories

Testimonials

"Teri was fantastic to work with! She made the entire process enjoyable and stress-free. Teri's knowledge of the area really stood out, and her positive energy made every interaction fun. She left such a great impression, and I would highly recommend her to anyone looking for a top-notch agent."
"Teri was fantastic to work with! She made the entire process enjoyable and stress-free. Teri's knowledge of the area really stood out, and her positive energy made every interaction fun. She left such a great impression, and I would highly recommend her to anyone looking for a top-notch agent."
Buyer | Seller
"Teri was amazing. We couldn't have asked for a more skilled, professional, kind, and calm person to help us navigate what is often one of the more stressful processes of selling and buying a home. Her guidance was incredibly helpful. I couldn't imagine going through the process with anyone else."
"Teri was amazing. We couldn't have asked for a more skilled, professional, kind, and calm person to help us navigate what is often one of the more stressful processes of selling and buying a home. Her guidance was incredibly helpful. I couldn't imagine going through the process with anyone else."
Buyer & Seller
"Our experience with Teri couldn't have been better. She helped us find a perfect house in the right location that would facilitate our rather large family of 9! Do yourself a favor and hire Teri!"
"Our experience with Teri couldn't have been better. She helped us find a perfect house in the right location that would facilitate our rather large family of 9! Do yourself a favor and hire Teri!"
Joshua M.
"We had an incredible experience as first-time homebuyers with Teri. Even though the market is extremely competitive in Nashville, we ended up with a house that is perfect for use. Not only did she help us get the perfect house, but Teri is also warm, fun, and easy to be around. We love her!"
"We had an incredible experience as first-time homebuyers with Teri. Even though the market is extremely competitive in Nashville, we ended up with a house that is perfect for use. Not only did she help us get the perfect house, but Teri is also warm, fun, and easy to be around. We love her!"
Buyer
"Teri is a great Realtor! She's a savvy house hunter and great at negotiating and works very hard for you and always looks out for your interests! Highly recommend. She showed us many houses and walked us through the pros and cons of each. She was very good in the closing process to get us into our new house as soon as possible."
"Teri is a great Realtor! She's a savvy house hunter and great at negotiating and works very hard for you and always looks out for your interests! Highly recommend. She showed us many houses and walked us through the pros and cons of each. She was very good in the closing process to get us into our new house as soon as possible."
Buyer
"We recently relocated from California. I really don't believe we could have pulled it off with Teri on our team. On our first couple of visits to Nashville, we spent hours and hours with Teri looking at neighborhoods and homes. Teri had done her homework and listened carefully to what our needs were, so she was able to show us only the homes that fit our criteria. When we found our dream home (which was still under construction) Teri artfully managed all the logistics of making offers, getting under contract, etc. It wasn't easy because she was dealing with a newbie listing agent, but she got it done for us. Just based on this alone, I'd highly recommend Teri. But there's more: Because our home was still under construction, we were able to pick out all our finishes. This was a bit of a challenge from 2000 miles away and this is where Teri went over and above what most real estate agents do. On any number of occasions, Teri voluntarily went to the new house to check on the progress. We'd arrange to do a FaceTime session so that we could our house take shape. Truly, because of Teri's efforts, the whole process was about as stress-free as it could be. Here's what I believe to be true: Teri gives this kind of service and attention to all her clients. If you're thinking about selling your house or buying a new one. Talk to Teri before you hire anyone else."
"We recently relocated from California. I really don't believe we could have pulled it off with Teri on our team. On our first couple of visits to Nashville, we spent hours and hours with Teri looking at neighborhoods and homes. Teri had done her homework and listened carefully to what our needs were, so she was able to show us only the homes that fit our criteria. When we found our dream home (which was still under construction) Teri artfully managed all the logistics of making offers, getting under contract, etc. It wasn't easy because she was dealing with a newbie listing agent, but she got it done for us. Just based on this alone, I'd highly recommend Teri. But there's more: Because our home was still under construction, we were able to pick out all our finishes. This was a bit of a challenge from 2000 miles away and this is where Teri went over and above what most real estate agents do. On any number of occasions, Teri voluntarily went to the new house to check on the progress. We'd arrange to do a FaceTime session so that we could our house take shape. Truly, because of Teri's efforts, the whole process was about as stress-free as it could be. Here's what I believe to be true: Teri gives this kind of service and attention to all her clients. If you're thinking about selling your house or buying a new one. Talk to Teri before you hire anyone else."
Lauren
"It was such a pleasure working with Teri on our home purchase. She was very patient and always there for us when we needed her. Such a professional. We love her and wouldn't work with anyone else. She is our realtor for life."
"It was such a pleasure working with Teri on our home purchase. She was very patient and always there for us when we needed her. Such a professional. We love her and wouldn't work with anyone else. She is our realtor for life."
Buyer
"There is so much good to say about Teri. I tend be skeptical and have a glass half empty perspective on choosing someone to work for me (i.e. landscapers, wedding planners, real estate agents, etc.). I have type a tendencies and its hard not to be hard on those I choose. What a blessing it was to never have to question anything about Teri's work for us! It was truly a breath of fresh air. I had purchased my previous home by owner and opted to keep the real estate agent away because of my poor experiences in the very flooded market of real estate agents. Thanks to a referral from our bank, I was blessed with someone who knew how to get things done and followed up with me before I ever had to question a thing! Thank you Teri for all the proactive communication you had with us through the process, I can't imagine not having you now and am so glad you were there for us!"
"There is so much good to say about Teri. I tend be skeptical and have a glass half empty perspective on choosing someone to work for me (i.e. landscapers, wedding planners, real estate agents, etc.). I have type a tendencies and its hard not to be hard on those I choose. What a blessing it was to never have to question anything about Teri's work for us! It was truly a breath of fresh air. I had purchased my previous home by owner and opted to keep the real estate agent away because of my poor experiences in the very flooded market of real estate agents. Thanks to a referral from our bank, I was blessed with someone who knew how to get things done and followed up with me before I ever had to question a thing! Thank you Teri for all the proactive communication you had with us through the process, I can't imagine not having you now and am so glad you were there for us!"
Emily I.
"I have been so fortunate to get to work with Teri this year. She and I are very similar in the way we feel about taking care of our clients and therefore we have had several seamless closings this year and are working on several others. She goes the extra mile for her clients, working tirelessly to find them their perfect home. We have both forged wonderful relationships with each other and many of our clients. I not only consider her a wonderful business partner, I call her my friend."
"I have been so fortunate to get to work with Teri this year. She and I are very similar in the way we feel about taking care of our clients and therefore we have had several seamless closings this year and are working on several others. She goes the extra mile for her clients, working tirelessly to find them their perfect home. We have both forged wonderful relationships with each other and many of our clients. I not only consider her a wonderful business partner, I call her my friend."
Joanne K.

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