Find a Home | 10 Tips for Buying a Home

When you are looking for a new home, there are several factors to consider. The tips below will help you get started and Sentry's outstanding agents will help you through each step of the process. From securing a mortgage to finding appropriate properties to negotiating the purchase, we handle the myriad of details involved in purchasing a home. And, our experience will truly be your advantage.

1.	Find a real estate professional with whom you feel comfortable. Obviously he or she should have deep knowledge about the real estate market in the particular communities you're considering, but you'll want more than simply technical expertise. Look for someone who can empathize with your hopes and concerns as you approach the search process, someone who has demonstrated experience in handling delicate negotiations and navigating problematic situations. When you've found the person with whom you want to work, you'll enter into a “Buyer Agency Agreement” that authorizes him or her to work on your behalf.
2.	Think long and hard about what you're looking for in a new home — before you start looking! (But don't stop thinking about it once you do start your search. Sometimes seeing the possibilities can help you clarify your own preferences, and, in particular, the relative weight you attach to them.) Distinguishing between “needs” and “wants” can be a challenge!
3.	Establish priorities regarding "must-haves" and "would-be-nice-to-haves." What really matters to you may matter less (or more) to another prospective buyer. For example, the number of bedrooms or bathrooms is probably more important to you than the number of burners on the stove — unless you're a gourmet cook who entertains a lot!
4.	Have a candid, thorough discussion with your agent about your wants and needs, including location, style, and price. The more detailed and explicit you can be about your expectations, the more time and energy you'll save yourself (and your agent).
5.	Let us help you find a lender or mortgage broker to get you pre-qualified for a mortgage. You may be able to pre-qualify — or establish how much you're likely to be able to borrow. That knowledge will let you focus your search in the appropriate price range. Even better, get yourself pre-approved for a mortgage before you start shopping. Pre-approval is a longer and more rigorous process that includes verification of your income, assets, liabilities, and credit history. But if you can get pre-approved for a mortgage, you won't waste time looking at houses you can't afford, and you'll be in a much stronger negotiating position with a seller because you'll be able to promise a quicker closing.
6.	With your agent, search the MLS for properties that match up well against your profile of needs and wants, including your desired price range. Don't hold out for an “ideal” property that meets every single one of your criteria (although you may be fortunate enough to find it). Rather, try to identify several homes that meet all or most of your “must-haves” and many of your “would-be-nice-to-haves.”
7.	Choose the properties you'd like to see “up close and personal.” Your agent will set up appointments and tour them with you, pointing out the strengths and weaknesses of each. When you're evaluating a home after a tour with your agent, don't pull any punches! The only way your agent can help you refine your search is by hearing from you what does and doesn't stack up against your criteria.
8.	When you find a home you really like (and sooner or later, you will ), work with your agent to write up an offer. Your agent will explain all the details of the various forms and contracts, as well as negotiate with either the seller or the seller's agent. Your agent will present promptly to you any and all responses and counteroffers from the seller. When you and the seller have reached a consensus, the final paperwork will be signed and will specify the terms, conditions, and contingencies governing the transaction, including who pays for inspections.
9.	Make sure that anyone hired to perform required (or desired) inspections — such as structural surveys, termite inspections, environmental tests, and well or septic tank testing — is highly qualified and reputable. Attend the inspections yourself, particularly the structural inspection; you'll have a chance to ask questions and learn details you might not have picked up in your initial walk-through. The inspections will take place and if any issues are uncovered, your agent will help negotiate who will pay for the repairs. Buying a home is a huge investment, not just of your money, but also of your heart . You have a right to make sure you're getting what you pay for!
10.	Finalize your mortgage application. Your lender will undoubtedly require an appraisal of the property as part of the transaction. Your attorney will set up the "closing" — or the meeting at which contracts are signed transferring ownership. And, of course, your agent will attend the pre-closing property inspection and the closing with you.