Your homebuying team

When you are getting ready to buy a home, it is important to form a strong team of professionals ready to work hard on your behalf. You need team members who aren’t too busy for your business, have a thorough attention to detail, and work proactively with you. Although each homebuying experience is unique, here are key folks who will be involved in the process:

Lender

Getting pre-approved with a lender is one of the most important steps you can take to make yourself ready to buy, and understand your homebuying budget. The lender you choose should have a reputation for being a problem-solver and for getting the transaction to close. See my Finding a Good Lender page to learn more.

Appraiser

Although the appraiser will be assigned by the lender, doing a great job of choosing your lender is a good indicator of the strength of the appraiser in terms of getting the job done in a timely manner and utilizing great local info to make sure the property you are buying is a sound investment.

Inspectors

You are able to choose the inspector who will be conducting the inspection on the home you are considering purchasing. You want to find someone who is thorough, provides you with a written report and photos, charges market rate, and who can be scheduled within a few days of your offer. Depending on the property you are purchasing, you may require other inspections such as pest inspectors. We will talk about what you may need and you can learn more on my What Do I Need to Know About Home Inspections page.

Escrow

Escrow makes sure that all the documentation is correct, timelines are met, and all the details are adhered to in the transaction. They will also make sure all parties sign the correct forms and that all monies are distributed correctly.

Title

Title will review the property history, verify legal description matches what is being sold, make sure the seller has the right to sell the property, identify other possible lienholders, identify easements, codes, covenants and restrictions, and more. You want to make sure the title company has a reputation for identifying all potential problems