My Weekly series “Beginners Guide to Buying a Home: Everything you need to know before buying your first home” will introduce you Step-by-Step to everything you need to know to buy your first home.

Are you thinking of buying but don’t know where to start or what the steps are, then my weekly series “Beginners Guide to Buying a Home: Everything you need to know before buying your first home” is just the place to start.

Each week you will explore a part of the process in a logical, informative way. I will share my time-proven tips and hacks so you can successfully reach your goal of owning a home.

Each week will focus on a particular step, or piece of knowledge that takes you closer to home ownership. 

My goal is to educate you on the process, so you don’t feel overwhelmed. As you go through the series you will lose your fear of the unknown and replace it with a quiet confidence that you can do this.

Buying your first home is a huge step and it can be scary, after all you are making what to date is the largest purchase in your life.

This series will take you through the entire home-buying process in easy to understand and digest pieces. Afterall, that’s how you eat an elephant one bite at a time! Your elephant is the home-buying process.

Week 1: Finding a Buyers agent who is right for you. — Not all agents are the same and not all agents are the right fit for you. The relationship you form with your agent is important, you want to make sure the agent you work with “gets you” and can represent YOU through the whole process. Focus on what’s important to you, the type of home you want to purchase, where you want to purchase it. Make sure your agent has the experience in the type of home you are purchasing and the area you are focused on.  Week one will give you guidance on the questions to ask and things to consider when looking for the perfect agent for you.

Week 2:  Zeroing in on your wants and needs will make sure your home fits you to a T. — It’s important to really focus on what you want and need in a home BEFORE you start your search.  I have developed a list of questions to ask yourself about your home search. The answers to which will ensure your home search is successful and you wind up in the ideal first home.  My list goes way beyond how many bedrooms and baths you want, and whether you want a raised ranch or center hall colonial.  You’ll learn that this very important and often overlooked step will determine everything that happens during your entire home-buying experience. You don’t want to miss this!

Week 3: Do the Math — A Mortgage You Can Afford – I’ll help you figure out how much home you REALLY can afford. I’ll give you a formula for determining how to arrive at the exact price range that works for your budget to get a home you love that doesn’t change your current lifestyle.  No buyer wants to be stretched too thin (or be shortchanged!). I’ll teach you how to do the math, so you know the monthly payment for every home you see out there.

Week 4: Where to Find Money for Your Down Payment – You’ll learn how to stretch those down-payment dollars to get the most for your money.  If you’re a first-time homebuyer, we want to make sure to reserve some of your savings for after you close. You’ll learn about all the first-time homebuyer assistance programs that will help make it all more affordable – and most people do qualify, but just don’t know about them!  I’ll teach you how to figure out what the “right” down payment amount is for your goals and budget; and then provide some solutions to find cash if you don’t have enough funds in your personal savings.

Week 5: Five Steps to Obtaining a Mortgage — Confused by all the mortgage options available?  While the default seems to be the 30-year fixed mortgage there are other options out there that may suit you better. I’ll give you a rundown of the various mortgage options available you can decide which type is best for your specific financial situation and goals. And, you’ll get the low down on private mortgage insurance (PMI) and why you may need it (and why it’s not all that bad!). Once you’re pre-approved for a loan, you’re ready to seriously start looking at homes.

Week 6: It’s the Fun “House Hunting” Guide — House hunting can be fun, but it can also be overwhelming and stressful at times. Find out how to house hunt productively (and strategically!) with tactics that will streamline your search. Your search will be more productive if we eliminate what you don’t want and focus on what you do. You’ll know what to look for and what to stay away from, the pros and cons of condos, COOPs and townhomes, and the real deal with “as is” homes.

Week 7: Make a Winning Offer Without Going Overboard – You’ve found a home you love and want to buy, what’s next? This week we will focus on determining an offer price, down payment, negotiation strategies, dealing with multiple offer situations, and which conditions you need to keep.

Week 8: How to Navigate from Accepted offer to Signed Contracts — Once your offer is accepted, it’s time for inspections. You don’t want any surprises after you move in, right?!  I always recommend my buyers higher a licensed inspector even if the house is brand new. Here’s the breakdown of what to expect during your home inspection, the most important aspects of a home to examine, what inspections you may want (Radon, termite, general home) and also what to do if any red flags arise. In addition, I will share the steps to getting a signed contract in place.

Week 9: Under Contract: Locking in Your Mortgage and Getting Your Home Appraised — Now that we are past the inspections the seller’s lawyer will send out the contract for your lawyer to review. Once both lawyers are satisfied, and the contracts are signed we can move forward. Did you know that you must wait until you are under contract to lock in your interest rate?  (See, you are already learning something!) Here’s how to work with your lender so you avoid any possible rate fluctuations and more money out of your pocket. The bank will order an appraisal this ensures the home is worth at least the contract price.

Week 10: Review those Condo and COOP Docs or Else! — This step happens AFTER you are under contract. Seems backwards, but that’s how the process works. You’ll only have a few days to read sometimes hundreds of pages of documents so this handy guide will help prepare you. Purchasing a condo or COOP unit is like buying into a business, so you need to know how financially sound the entire condo community is before finalizing your contract. This checklist covers everything you need to consider, including its reserve funds, operating budget, and even its rules and regulations.

Week 11: Almost There … Pre-Closing Details for Buyers – You’re almost a homeowner but have a few more details to handle before the big day. Here’s a breakdown of what’s next on your list, such as obtaining hazard insurance and a home warranty (and why), and when/how to connect utilities for your new home. You want to be prepared and ready to ensure a smooth transition to becoming the owner of this home. And who wants any surprises on closing day, right?!

Week 12:  How to Make Your Settlement a Success — You’ve finally made it! But, there are still lots of items to cross off your to-do list, including your walk-through, getting title insurance, and your closing costs.  My handy list will make sure you’re prepared and ready for this eventful day, so that it ends with your new home’s keys in your hand.

Week 13 BONUS: Maintaining Your New Home – Here’s all you need to know as a new homeowner. When you walk through that front door, your life changes and you’re now responsible for everything (not a landlord!). Paying the electric bill, keeping home and repair documents organized, understanding how your home works (furnace, water heater) and making sure you schedule in regular maintenance and upkeep (HVAC and more) throughout the year. It’s all covered here in one place.