1. Pre-Approval

Meet with a lender to obtain a pre-approval document that lets you know the maximum amount you can borrow. This will help set the price range for your home search and provides proof to a seller that you are able to buy their home. It means that the lender has checked your credit and verified the documentation needed to approve a specific loan amount for a range of time (~ 2-3 months). This is not the same as a pre-qualification letter which is not as valuable. If you need contacts, let me know. This is what your lender will need:

• Proof of income and assets
• Employment verification
• Forms of identification
• Credit history

2. Home Search!

Get to know the neighborhoods where you would like to live. Take a drive, walk around town and visit local shops. Can you picture yourself being happy in the community? Check sites like niche.com for school ratings. Also decide what you want in a house – number of bedrooms, floor plan and whether you want new, move-in-ready or something you can fix over time. Choose an agent that is responsive, knowledgable and has the time to work for you. I offer custom tours of various NJ towns to all of my clients, free of charge! Read more about featured locations here and feel free to ask me about others.

• Schools
• Town Center
• Commute time
• Community
• Local activities
• Town services

3. Close

Once you’ve found the home, you submit an offer that includes purchase price, a deposit, contingencies and a closing date. I can help you place an advantageous offer given existing market conditions and help you negotiate the best terms so everyone is happy. Once an offer is accepted, there is attorney review and inspections which could result in further negotiations or removal of contingencies. The home must be appraised for the purchase price by your lender to support the loan amount, a title search must be completed and home owners insurance purchased. A mortgage commitment date is received once all remaining loan documentation is submitted to your lender which guarantees funding. All set to close!

• Offer
• Attorney Review
• Inspections
• Appraisal
• Mortgage commitment
• Closing date