Buying a home can be stressful and confusing. That's why it's important to find a professional that you trust to help guide you through the process. From beginning to end the home-buying process can be a lengthy road. For some, it's 30 days. For others, it's 6 months.
When considering purchasing a home you should ask yourself two things: First, how much can I afford to spend on a monthly mortgage and how much am I willing to spend on a monthly mortgage?
Getting pre-approved means that a lender had reviewed your income, expenses, and credit report and had conditionally agreed to loan you a set amount of money for a mortgage. This enables you to look for a home at or below that price level with confidence.
Here is a list of our preferred lenders, but please know, we are happy to work with anyone you prefer to work with! We suggest reaching out to a few lenders to ensure the best rate and terms. They will be running your credit, which, at first, each credit pull will hit individually, but after 30-45 days they will all consolidate as one occurrence. Once you decide whom you are going to use, please let us know so we can get everything started with them!
Kelli Broadbent | SWBC Mortgage Corporation
303.405.8359 | [email protected]
Hunter Combs | Fairway Mortgage
720.436.3224 | [email protected]
Lonnie Jenkins | Cornerstone Home Lending, Inc.
303.523.1915 | [email protected]
Matt Neam | On Q Financial
303.717.8347 | [email protected]
The Multiple Listing Service (MLS) is our main listing service that features the most up-to-date active listings from local real estate agents. I will be setting up a Client Portal for you. This will allow me to send you a daily email with all the new-to-market listings set to your property search criteria. Most new listings will hit the market Wednesday evening, Thursday, and Friday, so if you do not see an email earlier in the week, do not worry!
When you see a property(ies) you are interested in touring, will be able to notify me by marking the property as a favorite. When you mark a property you would like to see, send me a text message or email with a few times in the next day or two which you have available. Depending on your availability and the seller's availability, I will set up a showing and will meet you at the property!
The Denver market moves VERY fast, so, if you see a property you would like to see, we will want to schedule a showing right away! We typically see properties, that are priced correctly, go under contract within 3-4 days, this is why having everything in order with your lender prior to touring properties is necessary!
I will send you my Sotheby's International Realty (SIR) Mobile app which will allow you to search for active listings and rentals worldwide. You will be able to save searches or favorite properties to view later, send a property to a friend via text or email, and view full-screen high-quality photography of homes locally, or around the world.
I will also be sending you the MLS Homes.com App. This app will be linked directly to me so any properties you favorite, I will be able to see. This app also makes it easy for you to send an active listing via text message. This is the app I will be using to send listings via text.
If you find a property you’re interested in through a print ad, yard sign, social media, online, or through a builder; call us! Remember, we are here to represent you and your best interest. If you work directly with the seller/seller's agent/builder they will only have their (their client's) best interest in mind, causing you to have no one protecting you and your assets! As the buyer, you will not be saving any money or will be "getting a better deal" by not using an agent, the seller will be who benefits!
For Sale by Owner is when a homeowner is trying to sell their home themselves / unrepresented by an agent. They are doing so in hope of saving on the commission. It is important that you are represented in the sale and that you receive all the services that a full-time professional provides since the seller, most likely.
Most homeowners will work with a broker, even though their home is not listed, however, I must accompany you on the showing.
If you see an FSBO, please let us contact the owner to set an appointment.
If you are looking for new construction, we will accompany you on all visits. However, if you stop in a new construction sales office without one of us, you will need to inform the sales representative you are working with an agent and give them our names. This will allow us to help negotiate price and incentives. Building a new home can be an exciting time, but the amount of decisions can be overwhelming. Our experience and expertise will help you navigate this complicated process with ease.
Once, your offer has been accepted and signed by all parties we begin completing the numerous contingencies you reserved in the offer and and satisfy any other items included in the offer.
The seller’s property disclosure is a form that is used by the seller to disclose information about the property that the seller has knowledge of. By signing this form you are acknowledging receipt of this information. I will ensure the inspector has a copy of this prior to the inspection. These are things known to the seller – you should do your own investigation on anything that is of concern to you.
The initial measurement is for the purpose of marketing, may not be exact and is not for loan, valuation or other purposes. If exact square footage is a concern, the property should be independently measured prior to the Inspection Deadline. I have a list of Inspectors I recommend if needed!
Seller is to disclose identification of the source of potable water (tap, well, other), identification of any permits, augmentation plans, and other water-related information.
The lead-based paint disclosure form is a required form to be issued to all potential buyers for residential properties built before 1978. The forms were written to warn any new owners of the potential existence of this within the interior walls of the residence. See disclosure
Within 3 days of going under contract, you will need to make sure you either drop off a personal check or wire funds to the designated title company selected by the seller.
**For the highest level of security, when wiring funds please contact the title company directly to ensure proper instructions.
To contact title, obtain phone number through the company website not via email you have received.
As part of the sales contract, you have the right to inspect the mechanical, electrical, plumbing and structural portions of the property along with any concerns that you have about anything that affects the property. In short, the property inspection is for things that you cannot see.
Inspections take around 4 hours to complete. Plan on meeting the inspector at the end of the inspection for them to point out any concerns about the property and to answer any questions we have about the property. The inspector will send us an itemized report with photos for our review and records. I highly suggest having the sewer scoped, the property scanned with infrared scanner to locate any active water leaks and to have the property tested for Radon.
For any issues pertaining to health and safety items found during the inspection, we will submit an inspection objection, requesting the seller to repair/replace prior to closing or to offer a credit for the amount to repair/replace after closing. The seller will then submit an inspection resolution of terms they agree to complete. We will either sign the seller's resolution, or we will be able to terminate the contract and receive our earnest money back.
Rick Jacquemard | Flat Irons Home Inspection
720.280.3544
Lee Kastberg | Pillar to Post
303.655.1177
Andrew Sams | Alpine Building Performamnce, LLC
720.612.1469
A home appraisal is performed by an appraiser who has been randomly selected to evaluate the property and determine the market value. The appraisal is sent to the lender to use to approve the loan value. An appraiser uses comparable properties in the area, current condition and upgrades of the subject property, location and market stats to determine property market value. If the value does not come in at purchase price, a resolution between buyer and seller will need to be agreed upon otherwise contract will be terminated and earnest money returned to the buyer if within Appraisal deadlines.
We will want to do a “walk-through” on the property before closing. We can arrange our walk-through for the night before closing or a few hours prior to closing.
If jointly purchasing and one of you will not be at closing, we will need a power of attorney form signed. You may designate anyone to act as your “power of attorney.” If neither of you will be at the closing, you may sign the closing documents in advance and the title company handles the rest.
Make sure all utilities (Electric, Gas, Cable and Homeowners's insurance) to the property start on the DAY OF CLOSING. You technically own the property at 12am the day documents are to be signed. Title will take care of water, sewer and most often; trash.
Notify applicable companies of your new address in order for accounts to be set up/transferred accordingly and to assure continued service.
Closing will be held at the designated title company. Your cash due at closing will need to be wired or in the form of a cashier’s check obtained prior to arriving at the title company. You will also need to bring 2 different forms of I.D.
At the closing table, we will thoroughly review and sign all closing documents with the title closing rep. Make sure to bring your signing hand!
Once all parties have signed closing documents and the funds have been transferred, you are officially a homeowner! Once fully executed closing documents have been obtained, you have the option of receiving the closing documents electronically or a hard copy sent by certified mail.
Please allow approximately one hour for the closing.
