Home Buyer’s Guide
One half century (50 years) of strategic experiences qualify our company’s staff to identify and guide each prospective Buyer. We know what transactional questions to ask and how to secure the answers = 100% confidence / satisfaction for our Buyer clients during property search and selection steps.
Kiser & Associates, Inc. / “Real Estate Achievements”.
Buying a new home is one of the biggest financial decisions you will likely make in your entire life. It’s also a very exciting and fun process too! We help take the guesswork out of finding a new home so you can enjoy the hunt and fall in love with that perfect home and location when we find it.
What is the first step to buying a home?
The first step to buying a new home is getting pre-approved for a mortgage. Searching for a home without a pre-approval is pointless if you don’t know how much you can afford or even if you can be approved. Getting pre-approved helps us understand what price range to target, making it easier when you do find a home to make an offer as soon as you know you’re ready.
What credit score do I need to buy a home?
The higher the score the better interest rate you will receive, however, we have lender partners who can help someone with a score as low as 580 get a mortgage. Most prime rates require at least a 720 or higher.
How much do I need to put down to buy a home?
The minimum you can put down is at least 3.5% if you are getting an FHA loan. If you are looking for a conventional loan, the minimum may be at least 5% but sometimes it can be 10%. If you are a first time home buyer or a Veteran, it is possible to purchase a home with no money down. In most cases it depends on the type of loan you are approved for and then ultimately how much you really want to put down on a home.
How long does it take to buy a home?
There really is no set timeframe to purchase a home because this process is entirely based on when you find the home that you want to purchase. Once you do find a home and have an accepted offer, you can expect that process to take between 30-45 days on average to get from accepted offer to the closing date.
How quickly can I close on my new home?
Typically from the time you and the seller agree to terms, it takes about 30-45 days to close. There are factors that can make this a longer process such as inspections, appraisals, financing approvals, etc. Most buyers take possession of their home within the 30-45 day range.
How long does it take to build a new home?
Home construction timelines vary. A construction process includes selecting your floorplan, signing a purchase agreement, picking your finishes, construction and walk-throughs at various stages of construction and then closing.
What is a buyers market?
A buyer’s market is when there are a lot of homes on the market, or high inventory, and so as a result, you, the buyer, have more negotiating power with the seller because there is a lot of competition in the market for your purchase.
What is a seller’s market?
A seller’s market is when there are few homes on the market, or low inventory, and so because there are not many homes available, the seller has the negotiating power. In many cases in this kind of market, homes sell for close to, if not at the price they were listed for. In a lot of cases, homes in a seller’s market will have multiple offers and will go into a bidding war, driving the price up past the list price.
What is earnest money?
Earnest money is a good faith deposit as part of the purchase agreement of a home. Earnest money is the buyer’s way of saying they are serious about purchasing the home and they are providing a deposit in good faith as they intend to move forward with the closing process.
Can I buy a home and sell mine at the same time?
If the timing of the sale of your home and the purchase of a new home are right, this can be achieved. However, there are some factors that could make this a little complicated. If your home is still on the market when you find the home of your dreams, you have a few options. You can make an offer that is contingent on the sale of your home, which means that the seller can continue to show their home and if they get another buyer, they can opt to take that offer. You can make a first right offer, which means that you have the first right to refuse the sale of their home to another buyer, but this also means that you may have to pay two mortgages while you try to sell your home. A first right only works if your mortgage broker says you can afford to keep two homes at once and you don’t require money from the sale of your home to make the down payment on the new home. If you are building a home or buying a quick move-in home, often times builders will allow a certain period of time for you to sell your home while under contract on a new home.
What is a spec or quick move-in home?
A quick move-in home, also known as a spec (speculation) home, is a house that the builder has opted to build on one of their available lots to make available for sale. These homes are often good options for buyers in a market with low inventory because they can get into a completely new home that includes builder warranties. Depending on the stage of the build process a quick move-in home is in, there may be options to customize the finishes to suit your needs. The biggest benefit to a quick move-in home is being able to move into a brand new home without a longer construction process.
Do I need a Realtor to help me purchase a new construction or quick move-in home?
At Kiser & Associates, and as Realtors, we look upon each client’s transaction as if it were our own; in doing so, our 50 years of experience and ethics become your ally. A talented team of legal, financing, inspection, contractor and closing professionals work directly with our office to represent your interests. Importantly, we strive to keep real estate brokerage fees at a zero level for our purchasers / buyer clients as we’re able (in nearly all cases) to have our company’s professional brokerage fee paid by “sellers” at closing. All related purchase and closing costs / fees are disclosed to you in full.
Will builders give me an extra discount on my home if I don’t use a Realtor?
In most cases, they will not. Builders often have a separate marketing budget designated to pay professional brokerage / Realtor commissions, so that value is typically not built into the price of the home. Our company’s construction and development experience greatly benefits our clients.
Can you negotiate the price on a quick move-in home? Or do new home builders ever negotiate?
You can always negotiate with sellers, regardless of the state of the market. Builders may be a bit more challenging as they typically have pretty strict margins to meet. The longer a quick move-in home is on the market, the more willing a builder may be to negotiate the price.
Do quick move-in homes still have a builder warranty?
Quick move-in typically homes carry the same builder structural warranties that a new construction home would carry. Most new construction homes have a structural warranty and carry additional warranties for things like appliance coverage, HVAC coverage, electrical and plumbing.
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