Buying or selling a home?

With a little up-front planning, buying a home isn't too confusing, but the event is stressful for a lot of people. I like to furnish buyers with an outline of the whole deal so they'll understand exactly what to expect. Below are my nine steps to purchasing a home. If you have any questions about this information or if you're prepared to get started, you can contact me here or e-mail me at .

Step 1 – Prepare to purchase a home
Before you commence your home search, there are plenty of things you need to contemplate. You'll probably want to assemble an outline of items you need, plan for what school districts and neighborhoods you'd like to live in, and start working on your budget. A good guideline to adhere to is that your mortgage payment should be less than 1/3 of your monthly income.

Step 2 – Get in touch with a real estate agent in Fort Lauderdale
That's where I can help. We'll schedule a time to get together so we can talk about why you want to buy a home and get an idea of your plans for the future. We'll talk about everything from neighborhoods, schools in the Fort Lauderdale area, the mortgage and housing industries, to any other economic factors that may potentially affect your buying decision today or in the future.

I'll also help you start the loan process. There are some great mortgage professionals in Fort Lauderdale, and I work with a lot of them, so you can rest assured that you're in great hands. They can help you figure out which kind of loan is best for you, as well as help you get qualified.

Step 3 – Start looking for a home
After our initial meeting, I'll start looking for available homes on the market that are a great fit for you. I'll research most of the houses and exclude the bad ones, and then we'll book appointments to view the houses whenever it's convenient for you.

As we view houses, I'll call attention to positive features and negative ones. I'll also ask you to tell us about things you like and don't like. It's widely common for buyers to amend their list of must-haves as we tour houses and some items become more necessary than others. If that's the situation, I'll go back through all the listings again and narrow it down to the home you've been waiting for.

Step 4 – Understand the market
My knowledge of the Fort Lauderdale housing market is an imperative factor in your home search. I am familiar with all the school districts and neighborhoods, and I will alert you to some neighborhoods are "hot" and warrant immediate action and some that are "cool" and allow for thoughtful analysis.

When we tour homes, I'll let you know if the list price has room for negotiation or if I believe the home is "priced to sell." When working with an agent, trust your instincts and be sure to ask lots of questions. Any real estate agent will convince you they know the home market. If it appears they don't know everything, call me at 9548811753 or e-mail me at , and I'll be happy to answer any questions you have. My understanding of the market will help you stay a step above the rest through the entire deal.

Step 5 – Find the home you've been waiting for
We'll find the house of your dreams in the Fort Lauderdale area, and when we do, I'll meticulously develop your home purchase offer. The offer will be tailored exactly to your needs and the home, including several contingencies. A few examples are obtaining financing, carrying out the inspection, and a clear title.

When we turn in your purchase offer, you'll need to present "earnest money." This is a cash deposit made to the seller to secure an offer to purchase the property and is most often applied to the closing costs. If your offer is accepted, we should close on the property about 30 to 60 days after. This allows enough time for your mortgage financing.

Step 6 – Negotiate the deal
A lot of contracts don't close on the initial offer – it's extremely common to receive a counter offer. Don't let this alarm you. We'll figure out whether or not to accept the counter offer, present our own counter offer, or reject the seller's offer and go on.

Market circumstances will play a large role in how aggressively we negotiate the contract. In addition, we'll work within your financing budget. And when it's all said and done, we'll compose a deal that's best for you.

Step 7 – Obtain your loan
After we sign the final contract, you'll begin working with your lender to close the loan. If you're pre-approved, this won't take very long at all, but you need to keep in close contact with your mortgage lender. And I'll care for all the property information your mortgage lender needs to close the loan.

Step 8 – Close the deal
You'll get a Loan Estimate (LE) outlining your closing costs from your lender within three days of accepting your application. This estimate rests on the loan amount. RESPA requirements mandate that it has to include all closing costs and be within a strict range of accuracy, and I'll examine the estimate and let you know if everything looks good.

Then we'll close on your house. This will likely take place at a title company or escrow office and will probably be a smooth and relaxed occurrence.

Step 9 – Move in
Congratulations! It's time to move into your new home. Enjoy it. And if you need anything or have any questions, make sure you call me at 954-881-1753 or e-mail me at joeminotto@gmail.com.