how do i buy a house

What to Consider Before Making an Offer on a Home

January 28, 2018 by Danielle Negroni

It happened – you walked into a house and fell in love! But before you submit an offer on that home, there are a few things you should consider:

Location

No matter how much you might love a house, you can’t do anything about its location. Drive through the neighborhood and check out the local amenities. Can you imagine yourself living in this neighborhood? Raising your kids here?

You should also investigate any potential plans for development in the area where you want to buy. This is particularly important if the home you’re looking at backs up to open space or empty land. You will want to know if there are future plans to develop the area.

Layout

Many homes in San Diego are custom built or have been updated/expanded over the years. Sometimes that means the home has a strange or awkward floorplan. It also might mean that the functionality of the home has been conventionally reduced (a garage that has been converted into an extra room is a good example of this type of update). The home may also
have unpermitted square footage which may be a resale hindrance.

Maybe the quirks of your future home don’t bother you, but it’s important to consider the resale value and how others might view the home. If the house has been on the market for awhile, that can be a good indicator that others buyers find the home offputting in some way.

Proximity to a Busy or Noisy Road

It’s a fact that no matter how desirable a home is, most buyers don’t want to live near a busy or noisy road. This could be because they have kids or pets or just don’t want to hear the sound of traffic.

When touring the house, you might not have found the road’s proximity to be an issue. Maybe you can’t really hear it when the doors and windows are closed. But if you need to sell the home in the future, it’s important to realize that other buyers might be turned off by your home’s location.

Schools

Even if you don’t have kids and don’t plan on having any, homes located in good school districts are more desirable than homes with average or sub-par schools. A home in a good school district is more likely to appreciate over time.

Why the Current Owner is Selling the Home

It’s always worthwhile to ask the seller’s agent (or the sellers themselves) why the home is up for sale. They might not tell you the whole truth (unless there’s a problem they must disclose by law), but it never hurts to ask. You might get lucky and find out a useful piece of information – such as that the sellers don’t get along with the neighbors or there is a barking dog.

Talk to the Neighbors

If you can, talk to a few of the neighbors around the home you’re considering buying. They can provide you with insights about the neighborhood and give you a sense of the community surrounding your future home.

Crime Reports

Crime statistics are easy enough to find online. The City of San Diego website has resources to help you view crime statistics and crime maps in San Diego County.

Ultimately, the decision to make an offer on a home is entirely yours. You just want to make sure you’re thinking not only with your heart, but also with your head.

If you’re in the market to purchase a home in San Diego, I would be happy to help you – contact me to get started!

The Total Beginner’s Guide to Buying a Home

December 26, 2017 by Danielle Negroni

If you’ve decided that 2018 is the year you’re going to take the plunge and become a San Diego homeowner, you might be feeling a little overwhelmed You might not know who you need to talk to first or where to start. Taking it step by step will make the experience feel manageable, which is why I created this Total Beginner’s Guide to Buying a Home to serve as your roadmap through the process!

Step 1: Find a Realtor

If you’re just starting to think about buying a home, it may feel like it’s too early to involve a Realtor. Not true! I’m there for my clients throughout the entirety of their home buying journey. Even if you don’t plan to buy for six months to a year, you will likely have a lot of questions I can answer. I can also advise you on certain things you will want to do (or not do) if you are serious about becoming a homeowner in the near future. I can also provide you with referrals for a few reputable lenders.

Step 2: Create Your Home Shopping Wish List

Take some time to sit down with the people who will be involved in the home purchase to create a wish list of things you’re looking for. Typically this will be your partner or spouse. Get everything out on the table: what kind of property you want to buy, the neighborhoods you’re interested in, the number of bedrooms and bathrooms you ideally want, if you want a yard, etc. Then go through your list to separate your wants from your needs. If you get stuck, take a look at my recent blog post for help.

Step 3: Meet With a Lender

Before you start searching for a home, meet with a couple of different lenders to discuss your financial situation and the different programs they offer. You will walk away with a lot of information to mull over so make sure you don’t rush this step. Your lender will also instruct you on what they will need from you in order to get you pre-approved for a loan.

Step 4: Clean Up Your Credit

You’re probably aware that having good credit is an essential part of the mortgage process. Your credit score not only affects your ability to qualify for a loan, it can also help you secure a more favorable rate. You will want to take some time to review your credit report and verify that there are no errors. Make sure there are no incorrectly reported late payments and that the balance on each of your open accounts is correct. You will also want to make sure you’re practicing good credit habits: pay your bills on time, keep balances low, and don’t open a bunch of new credit cards. Avoid making big purchases or purchases that might require a line of credit, like buying a car.

Step 5: Gather Necessary Pre-Approval Documents

Most lenders will want to see quite a few different documents from each person who will be on the loan. Every lender is different, but you should be prepared to present the following:

-Proof of Income in the form of W-2 statements from the last two years, recent pay stubs, proof of any additional

income you receive, and the two most recent years of tax returns

-Proof of Assets in the form of bank statements, investment account statements, and any cash reserves

-Employment Verification

-Driver’s License

-Social Security Number

Step 6: Get Pre-Approved For a Loan

Once you’ve selected a lender, you will want to set an appointment to get pre-approved for a mortgage. You will present all the required documents for the lender’s review and they will issue you a pre-approval letter that is normally good for 60-90 days. When you make an offer on a house, the pre-approval letter will be submitted to show that you are a serious, qualified buyer.

Step 7: Search For a Home

Now that you’ve selected a lender, been pre-approved for a loan, and have your home buying wish list together, we can get started on the fun part: shopping for your home! I’ll send you available properties in the MLS that match your criteria and schedule a showing for any that you want to see. I’ll also be networking with other agents to find off-market properties or properties that are not yet listed in the MLS for you to consider. As we view the properties that are for sale, you may want to make changes to your home buying wish list. This is perfectly normal and part of the process! My job is to find you what you’re looking for, no matter how many houses we have to see.

Step 8: Make an Offer

Once you’ve found the one, it’s time to make an offer! I will guide you through this process to craft a strong offer and present it to the seller’s agent. I will negotiate on your behalf and work hard to present you as someone the seller will want to work with. We may go through several counter offers, but if all goes well, we will reach an agreement with the seller and open escrow.

Step 9: Open Escrow

During escrow, the escrow company serves as a neutral third party. Their job is to make sure both sides are satisfying all the terms of the purchase agreement so the property can legally change hands.

Step 10: Inspect Your Purchase

Depending on the terms of the purchase agreement, you will have only a certain number of days to inspect your purchase and request any needed repairs prior to the sale. The two standard inspections most properties go through are the termite inspection and a general home inspection. Additional inspections may be ordered based on their findings or on the unique features of the home. I will help you negotiate any repair requests with the seller.

Step 11: Get Final Mortgage Approval

Before you can close escrow, the lender will need to issue final mortgage approval. It is absolutely crucial that as you go through the escrow process, you don’t do anything that could jeopardize your loan approval. Changing jobs, making expensive purchases, or opening additional lines of credit are all things that can affect your final mortgage approval.

Step 12: Attend the Final Walkthrough

Once the inspections are done, the repairs have been completed, and your mortgage is approved, we will have a final walkthrough. This is your last opportunity to ensure that all repairs have been completed satisfactorily and that there are no new issues with the property. If everything looks good, we’ll continue to the close of escrow.

Step 13: Sign Closing Documents

To officially close escrow, you’ll sign the final documents that are needed to make the property yours.

Step 14: Pick Up Your Keys

With all the conditions of the escrow met, the final documents signed and recorded, and the loan funded, I can deliver the keys to your new home. Congratulations!

If you’re ready to get started on your home buying journey, contact me today! I would love the opportunity to guide you through the process and help you become a homeowner.

How to Prioritize Your Needs and Wants When House Hunting

December 10, 2017 by Danielle Negroni

There are few things more exciting than sitting down to make a list of what you’re looking for in your new home. If you’re a first-time homebuyer, it may truly feel like the sky is the limit! But before you rush off and start touring homes, you’ll want to make sure you’ve separated your needs from your wants. You should have a crystal-clear idea of what you’re not willing to compromise on. This will help keep you from having buyer’s remorse down the line. Here are a few questions you will want to ask yourself to sort your list of dream home features into needs and wants:

How Long Do You Plan to Spend in the Home?

When purchasing a home it’s important to have an idea of how long you plan to live in the home. One year? Five years? Twenty? However long you plan to stay, try to imagine how your life might change during that time. Are you planning to start a family? Want to have another child? Intend to work from home eventually? The home you’re buying should not only support your current lifestyle, but also the one you hope to have someday.

What’s Your Lifestyle Like?

Are you the type of person who is good with tools and enjoys working on projects around the house? Or do you travel often and have a packed schedule when you’re in town? Knowing what kind of person you are will help you make decisions about things that might sound nice in theory, but don’t actually fit with your family’s lifestyle.

Can That Feature Be Changed?

There are many things you can change about a home once you own it. But some things like location, neighborhood, lot size, and view, are fixed. Even things like HOA fees are outside of your control. You will want make sure those features that can’t be altered are on the needs side of your list.

How Expensive Will It Be to Make Changes?

New flooring and paint are relatively inexpensive and easy changes you can make to a home. Adding a new bedroom, bathroom, or kitchen…not so much. If you’re thinking about knocking down walls before you’ve made an offer, do some research and get a general estimate of what your renovations might cost. And if you think you would move out during the work, don’t forget to factor in the cost of your hotel stay. With that number in mind, you might decide that having a modern kitchen is something that belong in your needs category.

Is It a Deal-Breaker?

Make sure to ask this question about every item on your list. If a home met every other criterion except this one, would you walk away? If the answer is yes, that feature needs to go in the needs column. If you’d proceed with the sale regardless, then it’s a nice-to-have.

Once you have your list in place, you’ll be in a better position to make decisions about the homes you’re touring. But don’t forget to give yourself permission to make changes to your list as you spend time in the marketplace. My goal is to get you into your dream home, no matter how long it takes to find it! Give me a call to start your San Diego home search!