Buying your home is one of the most important financial transactions you will probably ever make in your life. I hope that my team and I can help you and ease some of the stress that is often associated with this process. We outlined below how we plan to assist you and what you can expect by working with a Corcoran Legends Realty agent and our team of support professionals.
New York State has very specific agency disclosure laws that govern the way real estate agents work with their clients and customers. Upon first contact, all real estate agents, by law, must walk you through the "443 Form" put forth by the state that explains agency. You will be asked to acknowledge this document and provided with a copy of it.
Once you selected an agent to represent you (hopefully me and my team), you will be asked to sign a contract known as the "Exclusive Right to Represent Agreement". This contract will lay down the more specific actions that the real estate agent will take to accomplish the task, as well as fundamentals of the partnership.
Your Comfort Zone & The Search
- You should have a general idea what you are looking for in your new home, such as type and style you like, it's size, how many bedrooms, baths, garages, etc. Should you choose me as your agent I'll do the very best to locate homes that meet all of your criteria and show them to you. In addition, I'll introduce you also to anything and everything else that meets some or most of your needs.
- As your Corcoran Legends Realty agent I'll use various resources to find properties for you including, but not limited to, the Multiple Listing Service (MLS), the Internet, print advertising, word of mouth and my Realtor networks. All of them are presented to you and I'll make arrangements to show you the ones selected by you for closer and personal perusal.
- I also know where to look, find and verify, any and all pertinent details about any properties that you are considering for purchase. This includes, but is not limited to, finding open permits, violations, and confirming size and features of a property as filed with the building department, as well as confirming current taxes and possible tax credits. This is a very important step since the results of such searches will have a great impact on any future negotiations.
- It is also imperative that you consult with me before inquiring about or viewing any properties that you may find on your own, so that you do not adversely affect any future negotiations and purchases. When you attend open houses on your own you should always let the showing agent know that you are represented by me. This will save you from being solicited by the showing agent. It will save you time and prevents confusion.
Finances
- Are you pre-approved for a mortgage? What is your budget? It is critical that you address these questions before you even start your search. By knowing your purchasing power you avoid dissapointments and/or mistakes by preventing you from searching in the wrong price segments, and it saves you a lot of time.
- All offers must be accompanied by documentation showing that you are a qualified purchaser. The most common form used is a pre-approval letter from your lender, which verfies that an actual application has been completed with the lender and a credit check has been done.
- Although this pre-approval letter is still subject to a final review and verification of income and/or assets, it assures you that your offer will be seriously considered by the seller.
- Ask me for recommendations regarding lenders, if necessary.
The Offer
- The offer is usually submitted in writing on an "Offer to Purchase" form. Once your offer has been presented by your agent, most sellers will come back with a counter offer, paving the way for possible further negotiations.
- Once an agreement is reached on the sale price, terms, personal property to be included/excluded in the sale, conditions, contingencies, inspections and financing, your agent will let you now that you know have an "Acceptable Offer.
The Acceptable Offer
- An acceptable offer is a verbal agreement that both, you, and/or the seller can walk away from at any time. At this point, you should have an attorney in mind whos services you will use for this transaction.
- Ask me for recommendations regarding attorneys, if necessary.
Inspections
- If an engeneering inspection is part of the terms of your offer, it should be set up as soon as you have an acceptable offer. It may include termite, vermin, radon, pool and septic system (if applicable) inspections as well.
- If the home you are purchasing was built before 1978, you will be required by United States code (U.S.C. 485D) to sign off on a "Lead Paint Disclosure" form and your agent will give you a pamphlet that explains lead paint.
- If the house is fueled by oil, the heating system, the feed lines and the oil tank may also be checked for damages and/or leaks by a professional. This is especially important if there is an underground oil tank present since remediation of oil contamination/spills can be very costly.
- If any issues arise, they will be addressed with the listing agent at this time. During renewed negotiations the seller may agree to repair, replace, remediate, reduce the purchase price, or perhaps give you a credit at the closing.
- I may recommend to involve your real estate attorney to discuss your options to resolve severe and/or legal issues that came up during the negotiations. Please keep in mind that I am not allowed by law to dispense legal advise and will always refer you to your attorney for such.
- Please note that there is nothing binding you to the purchase of this property at this time and you can walk away from it if you feel the seller is unreasonable or there are to many problems. By the same token, the seller can continue to show the house and entertain any other offers.
The Contract
- The contract of sale will be prepared by the seller's attorney and sent to your attorney for review and your signature. The signed contract is then returned to the seller's attorney, together with your check for the down-payment, which will be held in escrow until closing.
- Once the seller has signed the contract, your attorney will receive two copies of the fully executed contract, one of which you will need to submit with your mortgage application. Your attorney will discuss with you all aspects of the contract part of the transaction in further detail.
- I can recommend attorneys, if you need one.
Appraisal & Loan Commitment
- Your lending institution will order an appraisal of the property, which is necessary to ensure the purchase price is within the acceptable range of the home's value. Sometimes, if the property does not appraise, a second appraisal may be done. If the property still does not appraise, some renegotiating may occur.
- Once you have a mortgage commitment, the closing date is set. All parties that need to be present at the closing will coordinate a time and place for the closing to occur.
The Final Walk-Through
- A walk-through is typically done at the same day of and just before the closing.
- This your chance to make sure that everything has been cleaned out, looks to be in order, and that anything else, such as repairs, etc., that were the responsibility of the seller were taken care of.
- You and I will take note of everything that is not functioning and/or properly completed as previously agreed upon and bring it up to your attorney so it can be addressed and corrected at the closing table.
What Else
- You should contact and confirm your movers. Call the utility companies to transfer all appliacble service accounts at the date of closing. Confirm with your insurance agent that your home owner's insurance is in effect. Make sure any funds needed for the closing are in place and fully available.
- Your attorney's office will advise you ahead of time regarding any certified or bank checks that you will need to bring with you.
- You will also need to bring a supply of personal checks to cover the various fees and two forms of identification, one of which must be a photo I.D.
The Closing
- The parties who will be usually at the closing are the sellers, the sellers attorney, the buyers, the buyers attorney, the lender's attorney, the title company's representative, and the real estate agents involved in both sides of the transaction.
- The closing itself can take a few hours and amongst other things you will be asked to sign a significant collection of documents under the guidance of your attorney.
- In the end the seller will hand over the keys to your new home and your new life will begin.