Are you buying your home in San Diego? Torrey Properties can help.

Buying a home is stressful for most people, but it isn't that confusing with a little planning ahead of time. I like to give buyers a road map of the entire deal so they know exactly what to expect. Below are my nine steps to buying a home.

Step 1 – Prepare to buy a home
Before you start searching for a home, there are a lot of things you should contemplate. You'll most likely want to form an outline of must-haves, get a feel for what school districts and neighborhoods you'd like to live in, and begin planning your budget. Keeping your mortgage payment less than or around 1/3 of your monthly income is a good rule to go by.

Step 2 – Talk to a real estate agent in San Diego
That's where I can help. I'd be more than happy to plan a time to meet with you and speak with you about why you want to buy a home and get an idea of your future plans. We'll discuss the mortgage and housing industries, other economic factors that could affect your buying decision today or in the future, as well as neighborhoods and schools in the San Diego area.

In addition, I'll help you facilitate the loan process. Torrey Properties partners with some of San Diego's best mortgage professionals, so you can rest assured that you're in great hands. They will help you figure out which type of loan is best for you, as well as help you get qualified.

Step 3 – Start your home search
After our initial meeting, I'll start looking for available homes on the market that are great for you. I'll preview most of the houses and reject the bad ones, and then we'll schedule appointments to tour the homes whenever it's most convenient for you.

When we tour houses, I'll identify positive features and negative ones. I'll even ask you what things you like and dislike. Generally, buyers change their must-have list as we tour houses and some items become more necessary than others. If that happens, I'll go back through all the listings once again and trim it down to the house of your dreams.

Step 4 – Understand the market
My understanding of the San Diego home market is a crucial asset in your home search. I am informed of all the schools and neighborhoods, and I'll alert you to some districts are "hot" and call for prompt action and the others that are "cool" and allow for more analysis.

When we tour houses, I'll let you know when the list price has room for negotiation and when I trust the house is "priced to sell." Trust your instincts and make sure you ask your agent lots of questions, as any REALTOR^® in San Diego will tell you they comprehend the housing market. If things don't add up, contact me at 858-792-5100 or e-mail me at novakinc@sbcglobal.net, and I'll be more than happy to answer any questions you might have. My market knowledge will help you stay a step above the rest throughout the entire process.

Step 5 – Find the house of your dreams
I'm sure we'll find your dream house in the San Diego area. When that happens, I'll carefully create your purchase offer. The offer will be tailored keeping your needs in mind, including many contingencies, such as getting financing, carrying out the home inspection, and a clean title.

When presenting your purchase offer, you'll want to submit "earnest money." This is a cash deposit given to a home seller to secure the offer to purchase the property. The amount is often applied to the cost of closing. If the seller accepts your offer, we should close on the home within 30 to 60 days afterward. This allows necessary time for your mortgage financing.

Step 6 – Negotiate the deal
Unfortunately most deals aren't closed on the beginning offer, and it's pretty common to receive a counter offer. But don't let this discourage you. We'll consider whether or not to agree to the counter offer, submit our own counter offer, or reject the seller's offer and go on.

How aggressively we negotiate the deal depends on the state of the market. In addition, we'll work within your budget. And when it's all said and done, we'll formulate a contract that is best for you.

Step 7 – Obtain your loan
After we sign the final contract, you'll begin working with your lender to close the loan. If you're already pre-approved, it won't take very long at all, but you'll need to keep in close contact with your mortgage lender. And I'll handle all the property information your lender will need to close the loan.>

Step 8 – Close the deal
You'll get a Good Faith Estimate (GFE) outlining your closing costs from your mortgage lender within three days of taking your application. This estimate is formed from the loan amount. RESPA requirements order that it has to contain all closing costs and fall within a strict range of accuracy, and I'll go over the estimate and let you know if everything looks okay.

Then it's time to close on your home. This will most likely take place at a title company or escrow office and will most likely be a smooth and pleasant event.

Step 9 – Move in
You made it! It's time to move into your new home. Enjoy it. And if you have any questions, simply contact me at 858-792-5100 or send me an e-mail.