Keying Into Your

Real Estate Success

My Full-Service Approach Includes Property Listings, Mortgage Tools, and Expert Advice for Buyers and Sellers

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Keying Into Your

Real Estate Success

Have questions about buying or selling your home? Feel free to call, text or setup a consultation.

Book a Consultation

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Get Ready to Master Homeownership with Confidence

Buying a home is an exciting journey, but it can also feel overwhelming. From finding the right mortgage professional to understanding the intricacies of real estate contracts and finalizing the deal, there’s a lot to navigate. Whether you're buying or selling, I bring extensive local real estate expertise to guide you every step of the way. Purchasing a home is one of the most significant decisions you'll ever make, and my goal is to make the process smooth, informed, and empowering for you.

Showing Homes

The most exciting part of your home-buying journey! As your real estate agent, I will arrange in-person visits to homes that match your criteria, including any properties you’ve discovered on your own.

Making an Offer

What should I include with my offer?

No two real estate purchase contracts are exactly alike. However, there are essential terms and details that every agreement should include. As your real estate agent, I will carefully review these elements and expertly manage the complexities, ensuring a seamless process.

Buyer and seller information.
Property details.
Pricing and financing.
Fixtures and appliances included or excluded from the sale.
Closing and possession dates.
Earnest money deposit amount.
Closing costs and who is responsible for paying.
Conditions under which the contract can be terminated.
Contingencies or conditions that must be met for the sale to go through.

What are the most common contingencies?

Financing: Unless you’re paying cash, it’s typical to write your offer with a contingency clause that provides you a contract withdrawal protection if you can’t finalize your loan within a certain number of days. Even though you have a pre-approval for a loan, it’s wise to protect your earnest money deposit.
Home Inspection: Your offer can be made dependent on a satisfactory home inspection within a certain number of days. This protects you if the inspection uncovers expensive repairs that the seller is not willing to fix or replace.
Appraisal: If the home does not appraise at the contract price, and the seller is not willing to sell at the appraisal amount, you can terminate the offer, or the appraisal deficiency can be agreed to by either party.
Sale of Current Home: If you have a home to sell before buying your next home, this contingency will need to be disclosed in the offer.

What happens if I face multiple offers?

In a competitive housing market, you may find yourself in a bidding war with other buyers. With access to real-time market data, I will be able to guide you on how to best position your offer. If there are multiple offers on the table, the sellers will have several options to consider.

Accept the best offer.
Counter all the offers to get a better price and terms.
Counter one offer that's close to what they want.

As your agent, I can collaborate to determine the seller's priorities.

What is a counteroffer?

Execute The Contract

What should I expect to see in the contract?

As your agent, I will be there to help you navigate. I will guide you through the entire contract process, from the initial consultation to the final closing. I will use my expertise and knowledge to help you understand the intricacies of the agreement and ensure that you are fully informed and satisfied with the terms and conditions.

Accuracy of information.
The effective date of the contract and the importance of the time and calendar.
A list of contingencies, such as that the sale depends on financing, appraisal, a satisfactory home inspection and perhaps the sale of your current home.
Property disclosure information from the seller.
A complete list of what conveys with the property.
A list of required inspections, such as a home inspection.
Day of move-in requirements.
In some cases, such as if your offer is contingent on the sale of your home, the seller may add a first right of refusal clause, which means that the seller could accept another offer if one is made before your home is sold.

How do I know when to negotiate and when to let go?

As your agent, I will be there to help you navigate. I can offer guidance, but ultimately you must decide how much a particular property is worth to you and what you are willing to pay for it. You may need to reconsider your offer if:

A bidding war drives the price too high.
The appraised value of the home is below your offer.
A home inspection finds defects that would be too expensive to repair.
The sellers are unwilling to make reasonable repairs.
You learn about homeowners association rules that won’t work for you.

What are common contract pitfalls I should avoid?

I will assist you in staying vigilant and aware of potential issues.

Unrealistic deadlines. You’ll need time to arrange a home inspection, receive and review the report, as well as arrange financing.
Missing deadlines can jeopardize your chance to terminate and endanger your deposit.
Items that don’t convey with the property.
Communication from significant parties in the transaction.

Schedule The Home Inspection

What is a home inspection?

A home inspector will assess various systems, appliances, and structures in your potential new home to determine its overall condition. After the inspection, you will receive a detailed report listing any possible problems and future maintenance issues. You can then decide whether to walk away from the home or ask the sellers to make repairs. Alternatively, you can opt for an “information only” inspection, which means you are purchasing the house as is but want to be aware of its condition.

It's important to keep in mind that unless you are buying a brand-new home, the inspection isn't meant to be used against the seller for minor inspection items. Doing so can quickly disrupt the contract and cause you to lose the home.

What’s included with a home inspection?

When you're buying a house, it's important to have it inspected by a professional to ensure there are no hidden problems. During a home inspection, the inspector will examine all the major components of the house, including the foundation, structure, roof, gutters, heating and air conditioning, plumbing, and electrical systems. But they'll also look at other things like deferred maintenance, potential health and safety issues, and habitability. A typical home inspection can take anywhere from two to four hours, depending on the size of the house.

What should I watch for during the home inspection?

I"ve got the home inspection report, what now?

After receiving the inspection report for a potential home purchase, as your agent, I will work with you to assess whether there are any areas that need to be negotiated. To aid in this process, you can ask the inspector a few questions to gain more valuable insights about the inspection. The home inspector will provide you with helpful information regarding the property's condition.

Are the items flagged as major or minor issues?
What needs to be done to resolve any flagged issues?
Do you know the estimated cost of any repairs?
Do I need another inspection, such as an electrician, plumber, or structural engineer?
Are there things I need to do after I move in?

Get a Home Warranty

What is a home warranty?

A home warranty policy is an agreement that provides coverage for some of the systems and appliances in your home. It usually lasts for a year and is renewable. When you pay the annual fee, the company will cover the costs of repair and arrange for contractors. When using the home warranty (making a repair claim) you will most likely have to pay a deductible and possibly a service fee, but those costs are usually minimal to what actual repair costs would be.

Do I need a home warranty?

If you are buying an existing home, especially one with appliances that are more than four years old, you may want to consider purchasing a home warranty. Although it's not required, having a home warranty can provide you with peace of mind when it comes to paying for unexpected repairs and finding a reliable contractor. This is particularly important for first-time buyers, especially those with limited savings. However, if you have enough emergency savings, are handy around the house, or know reliable contractors, you may not need a home warranty. As your real estate agent, I can offer recommendations for contractors if you need them. If you're purchasing a newly built home, structural defects are usually covered by the builder's warranty for ten years, and other items are typically covered for six months to two years, so a home warranty is usually unnecessary.

What should I look for in a home warranty?

To select a reliable home warranty, it is recommended that you and your real estate agent carefully review the available options.

The home warranty company’s license with your state’s real estate commission.
The fine print where you will find exclusions and limitations.
What’s covered and what’s not.
The coverage limits your repairs will be paid for up to a specific level.
Service fees and deductibles.
How quickly service and claims are handled.
How contractors are vetted and what happens if you use your own.
Coverage differences between a basic warranty and enhanced warranty.
Online reviews.

Close on Your New Home

What should I do before the closing?

I will be in close communication with you, your lender, and the title company to keep you updated on the status of the transaction and any contract changes or news.
Avoid lowering your credit score or getting denied for your loan with a new credit application or late payments with any accounts you may have.
Confirm that your contract contingencies are resolved, including the home inspection, appraisal and your financing.
Finalize your homeowner’s insurance policy with your lender.
Gather your down payment and closing cost funds from an accessible account.
Review your closing disclosure agreement, which you’ll receive three days before your settlement from your lender, and ask questions if you don’t understand something.
Arrange a wire transfer or get a cashier’s check for the funds you will need for the closing. Your lender will provide the amount needed.
We (buyer and agent) will conduct a walk-through of the home within 24 hours before closing to ensure its condition.

What can I expect at the closing?

A lot of paperwork is involved in the closing process, so it's a good idea to allow a few hours for it. Your agent and lender will inform you about the necessary documents you must bring. Most likely, you will only need to bring the following documents.

A government-issued photo ID.
Additional ID, such as a credit card or other form of ID.
Your cashier’s check or wire transfer confirmation of the required funds to close. Your lender will advise the exact amount.

What paperwork is required to close?

Congratulations You Closed

Keying Into Your

Keying Into Your

Get Ready to Master Homeownership with Confidence

Showing Homes

Making an Offer

Execute The Contract

Schedule The Home Inspection

Get a Home Warranty

Close on Your New Home

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