Welcome Home Buyers!
Whether you are a first-time home buyer or on your fiftieth real estate purchase, Nathan Fitts & Team is here to help you every step of the way. We commit to listening to you, educating you, and advising you throughout your real estate purchasing journey. Review this 7-point checklist as you prepare to purchase your next home with Nathan Fitts & Team. You’ll see why he’s a household name as he knows the market, the people and the area. You’ll be in good hands.
1. Pre-Qualification
If you don’t have cash to pay for your home in full, and let’s be realistic – who does, it is imperative to get a pre-qualified mortgage. This should not be a fearful process, but a comforting step. Knowledge gives you power. Not only will you not waste time looking at homes that exceed your means, but you also bring negotiating power to the table over other interested parties.Your closing will also transpire faster and easier when you are pre-approved. We are happy to provide you with a list of mortgage companies and lenders that we’ve worked with on previous transactions.
2. Needs Vs. Wants
Purchasing a home is a significant investment and you don’t want to end up with buyer’s remorse after the first few months in your new abode. To make sure that you are making a wise investment, it is recommended for you to make two lists – Needs and Wants. Your ideal purchase will include all of your needs and many of your wants. Your “needs” list would include items like the quantity of bedrooms to suit your family size, the number of bathrooms, move-in condition of the home, central heating and air system, etc. Your “wants” list would include items like hardwood floors, pool, basement, fenced in property, etc. Remember, many of your wants can be added after the purchase, but it’s not always easy to add your needs.
3. Professional Representation
Choose Nathan Fitts & Team to help you select and secure your next home. As the number one team in Georgia, we love working with home buyers and have the experience you need and deserve to walk you through this exciting and sometimes overwhelming process. With a team of agents and the best brokers around, you can rest assured that we will go above and beyond to make your homebuying experience the best!
4. Organize
It is helpful to keep all of your homebuying information in one central location. Consider using a large binder or file if you like to have printed information or make a master file on your computer with sub-files for each component. Keep a print out, link address or list of the properties that your agent has shown you, or that you have interest in viewing. Keep a record of area information like the school district, proximity to shopping and restaurants, healthcare options, transfer station or garbage pick-up, etc. Take pictures and print out or save property photos of the interior, exterior, and the surrounding neighborhood for future reference.
5. Visualize
Take time to visualize yourself and your belongings in the space you are considering. Will Grandma’s antique desk fit in the family room? Is the bedroom big enough to accommodate the kids’ bunk bed? Think about all of your favorite pieces of furniture and sketch it out on a piece of paper or a design program to make sure everything you want to bring will fit. Wall colors, countertops, and flooring can all be changed after you move in but fitting your piano in the living room or your exercise equipment in the spare room should be considered before you sign the final papers.
6. Best Practices
There are a few items that you really don’t want to skip over before you close on your home. They may cost you a few extra dollars up front, but they will save you in the long run.
- Have your property inspected by a professional home inspector.
- Request a second walk-through 24 hours before closing.
- Confirm that no changes have been made that were not already agreed on. For example, the refrigerator remains, or the great room lighting fixture hasn’t been changed out.
- Include inspection and mortgage contingencies in your offer.
7. Heart Vs. Head
Just like there are a lot of fish in the sea, there are plenty of houses on the market. It’s easy to follow your heart and jump on the first home that dazzles you but think with your head before you rush to close. Does this home really meet all of your needs? Not only should the footprint of your home check off all of your “needs” list, but consider the neighborhood as a whole as well. Are you secluded on the top of a mountain where rescue services can access you in case of an emergency? Do you have access to high speed internet or cable services? If your home inspection comes back with major concerns, think twice before you sign on that dotted line.
Nathan Fitts has been the top producing agent in North Georgia for over 25 years. You can trust his experience and knowledge and you will see why he’s the top ranked agents on all major real estate sites.
