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Buyer's Guide

A Step-by-Step First Time Buyer's Guide

Buying a home is one of the most exciting milestones of your life. To prepare yourself for this moment, you need to know what to expect during the process. This step-by-step first time buyer’s guide created by your agent will help reduce the stress of buying a home and help you enjoy the journey as much as possible.

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Step 1: Research

Do you already know where you want to buy? If you want a condo, townhome, or single-family home? Which features do you like and dislike? What’s available on the market now? If you answered no to any of these questions, now is the time to start researching. In addition to looking for homes that interest you, also take note of any changes in asking prices. This could give you valuable insight into housing trends in specific neighborhoods and help you when the time comes to make an offer.

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Step 2: Decide on Your Budget

Notice I said to decide on your budget—not determine how much the mortgage company will give you. In many cases, a mortgage company will pre-approve you for more than you’re comfortable spending, which is why you need to determine the monthly payment you feel comfortable with before talking to a lender. This likely includes doing a full household budget and taking into consideration what changes other than a mortgage payment will occur once you move into your new home. If you’ve lived in an apartment or with roommates, you may overlook new expenses like garbage, water, or HOA fees that could easily blow your budget.

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Step 3: Get Prequalified

Just because you think you can afford a certain payment every month doesn’t mean the mortgage company will agree. Just as they may approve you for too large of an amount, they may also approve you for a lesser amount or deny you a mortgage altogether. Lack of time at a job, insufficient credit, past bankruptcies, or other financial issues can cause major problems when trying to secure a mortgage. Before you get your heart set on a home, talk to a mortgage professional to find out what amount you can qualify for. This will also be an advantage when you make an offer on a home, as some sellers won’t entertain offers from those who aren’t already prequalified for a loan.

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Step 4: Choose a Real Estate Agent

Can you shop for, look at, and ultimately make an offer on a home without a real estate agent? Technically, yes, but why would you when it costs you nothing for an agent like me to take much of the stress off your shoulders? Not only will I help identify properties you might be interested in, arrange showings, and ultimately handle the offer process, but I also have a knowledge of the market that you don’t possess. Finding the perfect home can be a daunting task, and this is where my expertise and wealth of knowledge come into play. Let me show you around some homes that meet your dream home criteria so you can find the one that's right for you.

Passion & Expertise

My goal is to provide you with the most personalized service possible, meticulously designed to help you navigate the process of buying your dream home. I am dedicated to understanding your unique needs and preferences, ensuring that every step of the journey is tailored to achieve your ultimate home-buying aspirations.

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Step 5: Find the Right Home

This should be the most enjoyable step of the entire process (other than moving in!). I will arrange showings of homes you’re interested in that are within your price range. Take notes about what you like and don’t like, and make sure to pay attention to details. Turn light switches on and off, open and close doors, and run the faucets in various rooms. Don’t limit your inspection to the home itself. Make sure to take time to explore the neighborhood and keep an eye on traffic at certain times of the day, the parking situation, and how close it is to necessities like schools and grocery stores.

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Step 6: Make an Offer

Once you have selected the perfect home, work with your agent to craft a fair offer based on the value of comparable homes on the market. Depending on what the home is listed at and whether the current environment is a buyer’s or seller’s market, your offer may be below, at, or even above the asking price. I will be able to help you negotiate if you receive a counteroffer and reach an agreement. At this point, the house will go into escrow.

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Step 7: Have the Home Inspected

In most cases, your offer will be contingent on having the home inspected to ensure there is no major structural damage or large repairs needed. I can help you arrange this, and you can schedule it within days of making an offer. If there are no major issues, the process goes to step eight. If there is, you can renegotiate your offer based on what needs to be fixed, or you can withdraw it.

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Step 8: Select Your Loan

Now is the time to go back to the mortgage lender who pre-approved or pre-qualified you and choose your mortgage. You will be presented with various options based on your unique financial situation, including fixed-rate, variable-rate, 15-year, 30-year, or special programs such as VA loans or FHA loans. Work with your mortgage lender to select the option you feel the most comfortable with.

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Step 9: Get a Home Appraisal

Your lender will have your new home appraised so they have their independent value of it. The appraisal is to ensure that all parties involved are paying a fair price for the house.

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Step 10: Finish Paperwork

No one looks forward to all the paperwork involved in buying a home, but it’s a necessary part of the process. Fortunately, everything will be arranged by your lender and title company and, when you’re finished, you’ll know you are the legal owner of your new home.

Congratulations!

After signing the final paperwork to complete the purchase, you are now the owner of a new house. It may take a few days for your loan to be funded once the paperwork has been returned to the lender, but once that check is delivered to the seller, you’ll be all set to move into the home of your dreams. 

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Testimonials

"She did an amazing job working with us and was able to help navigate multiple applications for places. Was always punctual and professional. We are very grateful for her help and would recommend it to anyone."
"She did an amazing job working with us and was able to help navigate multiple applications for places. Was always punctual and professional. We are very grateful for her help and would recommend it to anyone."
James S.
"Sarah has been such a blessing. Moving from such a small province, I worried about finding the right neighborhood and building in Toronto. Sarah helped me navigate the best locations, building amenities, and prices. Thankful for such a great real estate agent. Will only be using her in the future!"
"Sarah has been such a blessing. Moving from such a small province, I worried about finding the right neighborhood and building in Toronto. Sarah helped me navigate the best locations, building amenities, and prices. Thankful for such a great real estate agent. Will only be using her in the future!"
Satchel K.
"Sarah was a pleasure to work with. Not only does she have a calm demeanor, but she's highly responsive, efficient, and timely. I don't think I would have closed on my first rental property if it wasn't for her."
"Sarah was a pleasure to work with. Not only does she have a calm demeanor, but she's highly responsive, efficient, and timely. I don't think I would have closed on my first rental property if it wasn't for her."
Amrit G.
"It was so great working with Sarah! She’s very easy to work with, and is very helpful with her professional knowledge and advice! Super friendly and responds quickly to any questions and concerns."
"It was so great working with Sarah! She’s very easy to work with, and is very helpful with her professional knowledge and advice! Super friendly and responds quickly to any questions and concerns."
Yoyo L.
"Sarah was so helpful when I was looking for a place, she was willing to meet for showings on a moment's notice because I was nervous about units that were disappearing fast, she was super informative, and she had my back throughout the whole process, and made everything seamless. Easy to talk to, and understood what I wanted, 10/10 would recommend."
"Sarah was so helpful when I was looking for a place, she was willing to meet for showings on a moment's notice because I was nervous about units that were disappearing fast, she was super informative, and she had my back throughout the whole process, and made everything seamless. Easy to talk to, and understood what I wanted, 10/10 would recommend."
Mars V.
"I had a great experience working with Sarah. She is very kind, helpful, responsive, and knowledgeable which made for an easier move from Montreal to Toronto. Would recommend!"
"I had a great experience working with Sarah. She is very kind, helpful, responsive, and knowledgeable which made for an easier move from Montreal to Toronto. Would recommend!"
Nicole G.
"Had an amazing experience with Sarah, she was so patient and listened to everything I wanted during my search! She helped me find the perfect place they checked all the boxes. She was very helpful in managing discussions through agents and landlords and made my experience seamless. She will be my first call when I am ready to make my next move!"
"Had an amazing experience with Sarah, she was so patient and listened to everything I wanted during my search! She helped me find the perfect place they checked all the boxes. She was very helpful in managing discussions through agents and landlords and made my experience seamless. She will be my first call when I am ready to make my next move!"
Sarah T.
"I worked with 4 other agents before Sarah, all of which do not come close to being at her level. She was patient, understanding, helpful, efficient, fast, and a great communicator. She’s also chill which helps because of how stressful finding a place to rent was for me. With her help, I was able to get into a dream condo I never thought could be possible for me. You wouldn’t go wrong with her!"
"I worked with 4 other agents before Sarah, all of which do not come close to being at her level. She was patient, understanding, helpful, efficient, fast, and a great communicator. She’s also chill which helps because of how stressful finding a place to rent was for me. With her help, I was able to get into a dream condo I never thought could be possible for me. You wouldn’t go wrong with her!"
Maham F.
"Sarah was an absolute pleasure to deal with. She was attentive, always available, and quick to respond to any of my concerns. She found me the perfect spot in only a couple of days and the following week I was moved in. Highly recommend Sarah for any real estate purchases, sales, or leases."
"Sarah was an absolute pleasure to deal with. She was attentive, always available, and quick to respond to any of my concerns. She found me the perfect spot in only a couple of days and the following week I was moved in. Highly recommend Sarah for any real estate purchases, sales, or leases."
Geoff B.