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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 your agent 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 I 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 a Real Estate Agent

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

Passion & Expertise

My goal is to provide you with the most personalized service possible, meticulously designed to help you navigate the process of buying your dream home. I am 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!). I 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. I 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. I 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. 

In their own words

Testimonials

"Jason was very easy to work with. He always returned our calls quickly and answered all of our many questions! Our sales went very fast and we had a lot to take care of in a short period of time. Jason was always there, positive, supportive, and patient! We were also moving out of state. He referred us to an agent he felt would be able to work with us long-distance and locally when we arrived. Our new realtor is great and we close on a new house soon. We can't thank Jason enough for all he did."
"Jason was very easy to work with. He always returned our calls quickly and answered all of our many questions! Our sales went very fast and we had a lot to take care of in a short period of time. Jason was always there, positive, supportive, and patient! We were also moving out of state. He referred us to an agent he felt would be able to work with us long-distance and locally when we arrived. Our new realtor is great and we close on a new house soon. We can't thank Jason enough for all he did."
Ellen K.
"Jason made my home buying experience enjoyable. He let me look at as many houses as I wanted, without pressure to decide. He had the knowledge to answer any questions I had, and there were quite a few. He had the finance background to help me know the ins and outs of the process. On top of all that he negotiated a great deal on my house for me. A really great agent to have in your corner."
"Jason made my home buying experience enjoyable. He let me look at as many houses as I wanted, without pressure to decide. He had the knowledge to answer any questions I had, and there were quite a few. He had the finance background to help me know the ins and outs of the process. On top of all that he negotiated a great deal on my house for me. A really great agent to have in your corner."
Buyer
"Working with Jason has been an absolute pleasure and, without a doubt, one of the best decisions I made in my home-buying journey. From start to finish, Jason displayed an unparalleled level of professionalism, expertise, and dedication that made the entire process smooth and stress-free. Furthermore, Jason recommended trusted professionals for the various aspects of home inspection, financing, and legal matters. His network of contacts was invaluable and ensured a seamless and efficient closing process."
"Working with Jason has been an absolute pleasure and, without a doubt, one of the best decisions I made in my home-buying journey. From start to finish, Jason displayed an unparalleled level of professionalism, expertise, and dedication that made the entire process smooth and stress-free. Furthermore, Jason recommended trusted professionals for the various aspects of home inspection, financing, and legal matters. His network of contacts was invaluable and ensured a seamless and efficient closing process."
Pradeep M.
"All went well even though the seller's agent was relatively incompetent. Jason made it work for us and we are very pleased with his efforts and results. I'd recommend him anytime to anyone. Sure appreciate your efforts. Thanks, Jason!"
"All went well even though the seller's agent was relatively incompetent. Jason made it work for us and we are very pleased with his efforts and results. I'd recommend him anytime to anyone. Sure appreciate your efforts. Thanks, Jason!"
Buyer
"Jason is a good person. Hard worker, very responsive, and a cut-to-the-chase type of fella. He'll work with you to find what meets your needs. He coordinated flawlessly with the seller's realtor and made the buy an easy day. I highly recommend Jason as a realtor and a human."
"Jason is a good person. Hard worker, very responsive, and a cut-to-the-chase type of fella. He'll work with you to find what meets your needs. He coordinated flawlessly with the seller's realtor and made the buy an easy day. I highly recommend Jason as a realtor and a human."
Buyer
"Thank you Jason for making the selling of my home quick and lucrative! Great communicator and negotiator. Answered all the questions I had and guided me carefully through the whole process. I cannot recommend enough."
"Thank you Jason for making the selling of my home quick and lucrative! Great communicator and negotiator. Answered all the questions I had and guided me carefully through the whole process. I cannot recommend enough."
Seller
"It was a pleasure working with Jason on the purchase of our home. He was always happy to show us a home on short notice, and he provided excellent advice that helped us submit an attractive offer that was quickly accepted. Afterward, he helped us every step of the way and ensured the entire process went smoothly. We would highly recommend him."
"It was a pleasure working with Jason on the purchase of our home. He was always happy to show us a home on short notice, and he provided excellent advice that helped us submit an attractive offer that was quickly accepted. Afterward, he helped us every step of the way and ensured the entire process went smoothly. We would highly recommend him."
Buyer
"There are many real estate agents available to choose from, but few have the professionalism, attention to detail, and negotiation skills Jason Cooper possesses. The current market is crazy, multiple offers are put in on some properties the day they are listed. Many of those offers are cash offers. Jason's experience put us over the edge in a multiple-offer situation, we got our dream house at a competitive price despite being in a multiple-offer situation. I would recommend Jason to everyone that I know whether you're buying or selling."
"There are many real estate agents available to choose from, but few have the professionalism, attention to detail, and negotiation skills Jason Cooper possesses. The current market is crazy, multiple offers are put in on some properties the day they are listed. Many of those offers are cash offers. Jason's experience put us over the edge in a multiple-offer situation, we got our dream house at a competitive price despite being in a multiple-offer situation. I would recommend Jason to everyone that I know whether you're buying or selling."
Buyer
"I needed to sell my house and find a new home during the height of the pandemic and Jason’s guidance and expertise proved invaluable as we navigated the quickly changing market in order to get top-dollar for the sale of my current property while also simultaneously finding and negotiating the purchase of my new home $30k under listing! The whole process finished as a win-win for me on both sides which I fully realize was rare during this unprecedented time. If you’re looking for an agent who knows (and adapts to) current market conditions, offers valuable insights to strategize with you throughout the buying and selling process, and will consistently act in your best interest especially when it comes to the negotiating table, Jason is your guy! Highly recommend!"
"I needed to sell my house and find a new home during the height of the pandemic and Jason’s guidance and expertise proved invaluable as we navigated the quickly changing market in order to get top-dollar for the sale of my current property while also simultaneously finding and negotiating the purchase of my new home $30k under listing! The whole process finished as a win-win for me on both sides which I fully realize was rare during this unprecedented time. If you’re looking for an agent who knows (and adapts to) current market conditions, offers valuable insights to strategize with you throughout the buying and selling process, and will consistently act in your best interest especially when it comes to the negotiating table, Jason is your guy! Highly recommend!"
Buyer & Seller
"Jason is a knowledgeable agent and cares about his client. He took the time to work with me to understand my needs and was able to quickly close on a property once we identified it."
"Jason is a knowledgeable agent and cares about his client. He took the time to work with me to understand my needs and was able to quickly close on a property once we identified it."
Buyer

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