Key Players in the March Madness of Real Estate

These days, a basketball court isn't the only place where you can find key players.  Real estate has a starting lineup, too, and I'd like to share with you a few of our MVP's who help us in our pursuit of real estate gold for our clients.

Choosing the Right Lender

One of the first things that we advise our clients to do when they are in search of the right home is to choose a lender with whom they can begin the mortgage pre-approval process.  Make sure that whichever lender you decide to work with has a thorough knowledge of loans available and will work with your best interest in mind.  Having a pre-approval letter in-hand goes a long way when you submit an offer to purchase that dream home.  Also, whenever possible it is always best to use a local lender who offers local underwriters to work with your mortgage application.  They will have a better grasp on what is commonplace in our region than a far-off lender in the virtual world.  A final thought on why a lender is important: they choose the appraisal professional who, in turn, determines the value of a home you put an offer on. You definitely want to ensure that your home is worth what you said you're willing to pay. A competent lender is more likely to choose an equally qualified appraiser.

Closing with the Best Title Company

What if the person trying to sell that home you're hoping to buy isn't technically the owner?  What if the owner of that vacant land on which you want to build your vacation getaway has a tax lien levied against the property?  You may not discover these or many other situations that can wreak havoc during your home-buying journey without having the best team of title agents working for you.  They uncover any difficulties that may arise during and after the transfer of property from one owner to another, and they also provide title insurance to protect a new homeowner from lawsuits stemming from issues with the title on their property.  The title companies with whom we work most often have an attorney on staff that fully understands the legalities involved in real estate transfer and will help you navigate the sometimes troubled waters of a home-purchase.

Closing in on Potential Problems Ahead of Time

Is the septic on the verge of a backup?  Is the HVAC system about to fail?  Will the roof leak during those early spring rains?  One of the best things that you can do to protect yourself from a regretful (and costly) home purchase is to hire a qualified and thorough home inspector to survey your property prior to close to determine if there are any dangers lurking in that house that you so badly want to make your home.  While there isn't always a requirement to have an inspection, and you can usually choose anyone you want, certified or not, to inspect your potential home for deficiencies, we recommend that you decide to have a professionally trained inspector look over the property.  They have a thorough knowledge of where and what to look for when examining a home and will be able to tell you honestly if there are any areas of concern.

From finances to the foundation, we want to make sure that you see a solid win when you purchase your home!  Comment below if you have had a positive experience with a lender, title company, or home inspector!  We'd love to know whom you recommend!