When you are ready to buy a home, there are steps to take that will ensure you have a great experience. You will want to select a Realtor to help you with this process, regardless of which Realtor you select they will cover Agency with you and will discuss the entire buying process to make sure you understand what happens next along with what closing costs to expect. You should be comfortable with the Realtor you select and be sure that they will guide you through the buying process step-by-step along with keeping in touch after you have moved into your new home. Here is the process for purchasing a home.
Financing: The first thing you will need to do is talk with a mortgage company to see where you stand financially. Searching for a home is very exciting and you will need to make sure we are looking in a price range you are comfortable with. There are several mortgage companies to choose from and all of them can help you with a VA, FHA, or Conventional loan. 
Home Search: The next step is to begin searching for your new home. After getting some information from you on wants, needs, and must haves we will review several homes that you may be interested in. After narrowing this list down, I will show you the homes selected to see if they fit your needs. If not, we will continue searching until we find the one. Regardless of what company has the home for sale, or if it is for sale by owner, I can get all information on the home and help you. Click here to receive free information on homes in Jacksonville.
Making the Offer: After we find your new home, we will sit down and discuss terms of your offer (sales price, closing costs, warranties, inspections, etc) and I will put it all together in writing. Once we review and sign the offer, I will present it to the seller. Acceptance: When your offer to purchase is accepted then we have a binding contract, there is not a binding contract until all parties have agreed to all terms. What this means is, if the seller makes any changes to your offer there is not a contract until you have initialed the changes and/or the seller agrees on the changes. Once all parties have agreed to all terms, then we have an accepted offer and under contract to purchase.
Closing: This is where you will initiate your loan, an appraisal will be performed, the attorney will do a title search, inspections/surveys are completed and several other processes will need to happen in order for you to purchase the home. This normally takes approximately thirty days, in some cases closing may be accelerated or even prolonged depending on the buyers needs and the terms agreed upon. Once under contract to purchase your new home, there are several things that will need to happen and I will ensure all timelines are met. From you initiating the loan, to home inspections, insurance quotes, and repair requests I will either make the arrangements for you or guide you to the right people.
Earnest Money: When you make an offer on a home, the seller will expect some type of earnest money, or 'deposit' to keep from selling the home while you work through the closing process. Though this is not required a seller will expect an earnest deposit from a buyer when an offer is accepted. This can be any where from five hundred dollars to an amount set by the seller, it is typically the lesser. There are also costs that you will need to expect to pay out side of closing. These include (but are not limited to) home inspections, appraisals, loan application fee, utility transfer fee's, and sometimes insurance deposits. Again, your Realtor will cover all of these costs with you so you know exactly what to expect before you enter into a contract to purchase.
Possession: After all documents have been prepared and signed at closing you will have purchased your home. Once the attorney has the transaction recorded at the court house (typically the same day or day after closing), it is officially your new home. CONGRATULATIONS, you are now a proud home owner!!
This may seem like a long and difficult process, but it really moves along smoothly when you select the right Realtor to represent you. If you have any questions about buying a home, financing, or closing costs feel free to contact me.