The Steps to Buying Your First Home

First time buying a home? Have no fear! The purchase of a home is an important decision and we know that it can cause you to feel like you know nothing about what you’re doing. That’s okay! We’re here to help. Take note, first time home buyers, of the Cattar’s simplified guide to what to do first in the complicated world of real estate.

1. Call an agent and let them explain the process. It’s as simple as that. You will have a preliminary meeting at the office where you will explore the steps in buying a home and review the contract. You may be asked which zip-codes you are interested in. Most importantly, your agent will insist on you going to get prequalified with a bank before the search even begins.

2. Make a “long and short list”. On the “short” list, name the essentials (bedrooms, bathrooms, etc.). Consider the necessities that you can’t budge on. The “long” list is a group of the “wants” you would prefer to have in a home, like a fireplace in the master suite, or a sunroom. This way an agent can select homes that would best fit your preferences!

3. Look at homes! At this point in the process, you have been prequalified as a buyer, your agent knows what you want (from the preliminary meeting and the “long and short” list), and you’ve decided on a zip-code you’d like to explore.

It’s not so scary, right? The agent explains every single detail of home-buying to you and will be with you offering advice every step of the way.