Saint Clair Homes

The term short sale refers to a situation where the “sale price” of a home is less than what’s owed on the home. Many sellers will negotiate this option instead of facing a foreclosure. The catch with a short sale however, is any offer must be approved by a third party (usually the bank that holds the mortgage). In order for a bank to accept an offer the can be no “profit” going to the sellers. The sellers are seeking forgiveness on the outstanding portion of their mortgage, not a capital gain. Short sales can be a long and tricky process.

Hooray! You made it through the searching, negotiations and paperwork. You’re not off the hook yet. Now it’s time to actually move. This step starts with packing up all of your belongings, which you’ve probably already done. Next is the decision of moving on your own with help of friends and family, or using a moving company.

Finally the day has arrived! This is when all of the documents that have been prepared up to this point are put into the final documents. During this step you and your real estate agent have the opportunity to review these documents and make sure that they are as you thought they would be. This is the time to catch any mistakes and to make any corrections that you see fit. Many times your real estate agent will receive these and go over them, letting you know if they are correct or if there’s anything that needs your attention.

Now that you have an accepted purchase agreement and the inspection satisfactory; it’s time for the escrow step. The escrow process is handled by a neutral third party, known as an escrow company. Their job is to carry out the terms of the contract as it is written, and to ensure that all of the monies are distributed properly. (This actually where you will see your “earnest” money again)

Whenever buying real estate you have the option of having an inspection done on the piece of property that you wish to purchase. Even though this is an option that you will have to pay for; it is strongly recommended. Inspectors can spot things that we as “laymen” cannot. The purpose of an inspection is twofold. First: it is to alert you to any “problems” that may exist or potential problems and therefore, there won’t be any surprises once you move in.

Negotiations

Very seldom will an initial contract be accepted by the sellers. There is almost always something that they like and don't like about your offer. The purpose of negotiation is to establish a contract that is acceptable to both parties. If it isn't, there will most certainly be problems later. The following is a list of things to keep in mind while we negotiate back and forth with the sellers:

• Never accept ANY proposal immediately, no matter how good it may sound!

This is the document that is used throughout the negotiation process. Every time there is a change made during the negotiations, it is recorded on the contract and signed by both parties (buyers and sellers). Most negotiations are fairly easy going; however there are some exceptions, ex: inspections, FSBO's, etc... Once an agreement, that is acceptable to both parties, is negotiated a copy will be given to those involved. See:
http://www.realestateabc.com/homeguide/buying8.htm

This step is the most fun but, also the most important. Once you’ve decided where you want to live, now you get to pick out the actual houses you like. To tour/view the homes that interest you, appointments need to be made.

When actually touring the homes, this is when you want to take a good look at the features within the home that are important to you. Most appointments will be made so that the present owners will not be there, so be honest about your feelings and concerns.

Now that you have your financing is squared away, it’s time to start actually looking for a home. There are many different ways to go about this process. There is no right or wrong way; it’s what works best for YOU.

Securing your financing is a very important step towards your real estate purchase. Timing can mean buying the home that you really want or losing it to someone who already has their financing in order. Also, knowing how much you can spend on home, can save you a lot of time and disappointment. Looking at homes that are within your financial means, only makes sense. This way when you find a home that you like, you know you can make a reasonable offer.