So you're buying your first home
Let me guide you through the process and help you create a plan for your first purchase
Being a first time home buyer can feel intimidating. Deciding to buy your first home is one of life’s big moments! To ensure that this milestone is exciting rather than stressful, I’m here as a Mortgage Agent to help walk you through the process.
Step One: Complete a mortgage pre-qualification with me.
During this step of the process, we’ll review your credit bureau together to ensure everything is correct and up to date. We’ll go through what makes up your credit score, so you have this knowledge for the rest of your life. If, at this time, there are some hiccups in your credit, I’ll give you the tools to get your credit rating to a place where we’ll have access to the best mortgage products available.
Second, we’ll review your income, as all lenders have different income guidelines. The main benefit of using a Mortgage Broker is that we can match you with a lender whose guidelines meet your income situation. I’ll collect all of the income documentation I know lenders will need upfront to provide you with an accurate pre-qualification. Not all mortgage professionals will ask for this upfront, but I want to ensure you can be confident shopping for a house in the price range I provide.
From there, we’ll make a plan for where your down payment will come from and also discuss the amount of down payment you’ll need to qualify for the price range you’d like.
Last, I’ll give you the maximum purchase price you can qualify for based on your credit, income, and down payment and send you off shopping! There’s nothing worse than falling in love with a house you don’t qualify to buy. A mortgage pre-qualification is the most important step to ensure this doesn’t happen.
Step Two: Find the one!
I can help you find a professional realtor who will be able to save you time (and money!). Your realtor will help you negotiate with the sellers on price and go through all of the conditions of your new purchase. Once this has been completed, your realtor will provide me with copies of the written purchase contract and property details. Then, I’ll start shopping for lenders for you.
Step Three: Underwriting
Since we’ve done all the tough work upfront of making a plan for your mortgage and gathering a majority of the documents needed, I can submit your mortgage for approval to the lender that best suits your needs today and your plans for the future.
At this time, my Underwriter will step in to collect any remaining documents needed for your file. They’ll also provide your realtor and lawyer all the necessary documentation to complete your purchase. Once I’ve secured approval, we’ll go through this together, ensuring you understand the terms of your new mortgage. Throughout the process, you’ll receive emails from me and my team with a mix of videos and written directions guiding you to the next steps. We know this can be an overwhelming process, and we want to make it as seamless as possible.
Step Four: Your financing is complete!
At this point, we can recommend a lawyer to complete your purchase if needed. We’ll work together with the lawyer of your choice to finalize your purchase before your move-in date.
Step Five as a First Time Home Buyer: Move-in day!
First-time home buyer, no more! Grab your buddies and some pizza; memories in your new home start now!