Short answer
Talk with an agent and a lender first, get pre-approved, search for homes, tour homes you like, make an offer, get an inspection, complete a final walk-through, then close. Some of the most stressful purchases are ones where either of the first two steps happened last.
1. Plan and get pre-approved
A lender confirms what you can borrow. An agent helps you understand what that means in the areas you are considering - and, if you own a home, how selling fits in to the equation.
2. Search with real criteria
Decide what is non-negotiable and what is preference. Use our data driven search with alerts turned on so you see new listings early instead of seeing them once an offer is already accepted.
3. Write the offer
Price is only one part, Closing date, contingencies, earnest money, and inspection all affect whether your offer is accepted. Money is a motivator, but some sellers have other motives we can explore to make your offer stand out.
4. Inspections and appraisal
An inspection tells you about the homes general condition. An appraisal tells your lender about the value. They are different, and both can change the deal. We can help navigate negotiations around inspection issues and regularly help our buyer clients get credits and repairs completed. For our sellers this looks like knowing when a request is reasonable, and what adjustments we need to make to the language of the amendment to keep things fair.
5. Closing
We complete a final walkthrough in the days before. Then we meet with the title company for signing, funding, and keys. Don't forget, you'll need to avoid new debt, major purchases, or job changes between an offer and closing.
What this means for you
The purchase gets easier when the first conversation happens early. Everything after that is sequencing.
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General education from AM Realty MN, brokered by LPT Realty, LLC. Not legal, tax, or lending advice.