It’s easier than you might think.

  1. Find a qualified Buyer’s Representative: Since most of us only buy real estate a few times in their lifetime doesn’t it make sense to have a Buyer’s Representative to provide complete and fair representation for you? The sellers already have a listing agent to look out for their best interests. As an Accredited Buyer Representative (ABR), I’m qualified to consult with you about buying and represent you.
  2. Assess your credit and finances: Any lender is going to check your credit history when you apply for a loan. You can give yourself a heads up on any potential stumbling blocks by getting a copy of your credit report. Federal law requires each of the 3 major credit bureaus to give you a free credit report every 12 months. The big three are: Equifax, Experian, and Trans Union.
  3. Assess your wants and needs: Both Knoxville and Farragut Tennessee have many different styles of homes. Determine what features are important to you in your new Knoxville or Farragut home; price, bedrooms, style of house, size, neighborhood, etc. Then determine what you need versus what you want, i.e. must haves like a fireplace versus niceties like a pool.
  4. Shop for a home: Knoxville & Farragut both have tons of different neighborhoods; which one is best for you? Quality of schools, neighborhood profiles, household data, and factors like these need to be considering.
  5. Negotiate price and terms: Once you’ve found a home you want to buy the next step is making the offer. Important considerations are, your finances, tax situation, legal obligations, and others. When you consider that you’re going to be living with your decisions for many years, just how big a deal a home purchase is becomes obvious.
  6. Obtain a mortgage: When selecting a lender you need to obtain a mortgage loan with terms most favorable to you. Debbie Nieto, a highly professional and experienced banker will be happy to answer any of your mortgage questions.
  7. Prepare for the closing: Once you’ve successfully found your dream home, negotiated the best price and terms for you, and been approved for your mortgage you need to get ready for the closing; that’s when you get the keys to your new home. You’ll need homeowner’s insurance, title examination, a thorough home inspection, a termite inspection, and lots more details to make sure there are no ‘surprises’ after the closing.
  8. Close: That’s the actual and legal transfer of ownership of your new home from the sellers to you. You’ll need to set a closing date, review your closing documents, understand all your closing costs, and lots more technical and legal details to ensure you get a valid title & documentation.
  9. Move: Once you’re found your home and set a closing date it’s time to prepare to move into your new home. Lots of my buyer clients have found that having a checklist of things to do is very helpful. You’ll need to arrange for homeowner’s insurance, utilities, change of address for your mail, pack, and of course, move.
  10. Celebrate! Yeah, you made it; now you’re a happy Knoxville or Farragut homeowner; it’s time to party! Homeownership brings many personal and financial benefits to you such as pride of ownership, personal and financial growth, security, and many more.

If you’re thinking of taking that next step please call or email me for a free copy of my Homebuyer’s Toolkit which goes into much more detail about the 10 steps outlined above.

As an Accredited Buyer’s Representative (ABR) I am fully qualified to be your guide along the road to homeownership.

You can get a sneak preview of lots of Knoxville and Farragut homes for sale at www.KnoxvilleHomeCenter.com and remember, there is no such thing as a dumb question, only the ones you did not ask.

Happy homeownership, east Tennessee is a great place to live.
Jim