Guide for Massachusett Home Buyers

Step 1: Research

Do you already know where you want to buy? If you want a condo, townhome, or single-family home? Which features do you like and dislike? What’s available on the market now? If you answered no to any of these questions, now is the time to start researching. In addition to looking for homes that interest you, also take note of any changes in asking prices. This could give you valuable insight into housing trends in specific neighborhoods and help you when the time comes to make an offer.

Step 2: Decide on Your Budget

Notice I said to decide on your budget—not determine how much the mortgage company will give you. In many cases, a mortgage company will pre-approve you for more than you’re comfortable spending, which is why you need to determine the monthly payment you feel comfortable with before talking to a lender. This likely includes doing a full household budget and taking into consideration what changes other than a mortgage payment will occur once you move into your new home. If you’ve lived in an apartment or with roommates, you may overlook new expenses like garbage, water, or HOA fees that could easily blow your budget.

Step 3: Get Prequalified

Just because you think you can afford a certain payment every month doesn’t mean the mortgage company will agree. Just as they may approve you for too large of an amount, they may also approve you for a lesser amount or deny you a mortgage altogether. Lack of time at a job, insufficient credit, past bankruptcies, or other financial issues can cause major problems when trying to secure a mortgage. Before you get your heart set on a home, talk to a mortgage professional to find out what amount you can qualify for. This will also be an advantage when you make an offer on a home, as some sellers won’t entertain offers from those who aren’t already prequalified for a loan.

Step 4: Choose a Real Estate Agent

Can you shop for, look at, and ultimately make an offer on a home without a real estate agent? Technically yes, but why would you when it costs you nothing for an agent like me to take much of the stress off your shoulders? Not only will I help identify properties you might be interested in, arrange showings, and ultimately handle the offer process, but I also have a knowledge of the market that you don’t possess. Finding the perfect home can be a daunting task, this is where my expertise and wealth of knowledge come into play. Let me show you around some homes that meet your dream home criteria so you can find the one that's right for you.

My Goal Is to Provide You with The Most Personalized Service that Is Designed to Help You Buy Your Dream Home.

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Step 5: Find the Right Home

This should be the most enjoyable step of the entire process (other than moving in!). I will arrange showings of homes you’re interested in that are within your price range. Take notes about what you like and don’t like, and make sure to pay attention to details. Turn light switches on and off, open and close doors, and run the faucets in various rooms. Don’t limit your inspection to the home itself. Make sure to take time to explore the neighborhood and keep an eye on traffic at certain times of the day, the parking situation, and how close it is to necessities like schools and grocery stores.

Step 6: Make an Offer

Once you have selected the perfect home, work with your agent to craft a fair offer based on the value of comparable homes on the market. Depending on what the home is listed at and whether the current environment is a buyer’s or seller’s market, your offer may be below, at, or even above the asking price. I will be able to help you negotiate if you receive a counteroffer and reach an agreement. At this point, the house will go into escrow.

Step 7: Have the Home Inspected

In most cases, your offer will be contingent on having the home inspected to ensure there is no major structural damage or large repairs needed. I can help you arrange this, and you can schedule it within days of making an offer. If there are no major issues, the process goes to step eight. If there is, you can renegotiate your offer based on what needs to be fixed, or you can withdraw it.

Step 8: Select Your Loan

Now is the time to go back to the mortgage lender who pre-approved or pre-qualified you and choose your mortgage. You will be presented with various options based on your unique financial situation, including fixed-rate, variable-rate, 15-year, 30-year, or special programs such as VA loans or FHA loans. Work with your mortgage lender to select the option you feel the most comfortable with.

Step 9: Get a Home Appraisal

Your lender will have your new home appraised so they have their independent value of it. The appraisal is to ensure that all parties involved are paying a fair price for the house.

Step 10: Finish Paperwork

No one looks forward to all the paperwork involved in buying a home, but it’s a necessary part of the process. Fortunately, everything will be arranged by your lender and title company and, when you’re finished, you’ll know you are the legal owner of your new home.

Congratulations!

After signing the final paperwork to complete the purchase, you are now the owner of a new house. It may take a few days for your loan to be funded once the paperwork has been returned to the lender, but once that check is delivered to the seller, you’ll be all set to move into the home of your dreams.

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Alex & Vicki

"Annie was an excellent and knowledgeable agent. Moreover, her sense of urgency and prompt replies to texts or emails matched my own which I liked very much! Her past home-flipping experience really gives her an advantage over ...

Chet & Leann

"Annie was excellent to work with. She was always very responsive and helpful. She assisted me with keeping a positive attitude during. She attended the selection’s meeting and helped offer some opinions on what to pick when I ...

Sharon

"Annie was excellent to work with. She was always very responsive and helpful. She assisted me with keeping a positive attitude. She attended the selection meeting and helped offer some opinions on what to pick when I was choos...

Rebecca

"Annie was absolutely wonderful to work with. Always prompt with responses and ability to get us into see houses asap. She is positive, upbeat and encourages us during frustrating times. As first time home buyers, she was an am...

Nicky

"Annie is highly knowledgeable thorough and professional. She listens to your needs. If you have questions she will have them answered within minutes. She has made the process so easy. Even through this pandemic, she has been o...

Katherine S.

"Anne was great to work with, she was responsive to appointment requests and flexible. My husband and I started out buying a new house to downsize to, and looked a lot, ended up buying land and building - and Anne had the patie...

Angelica D.

"It was an absolute pleasure working with Anne Oakman. She worked around my work schedule made everything stress-free throughout the whole process she truly went above and beyond to help. Thank you Anne god bless you!"

Ashok

"Worked with Annie to buy two condos and had a flawless experience. She was very responsive, helped get additional details from the seller and others to close on time and made the whole buying experience smooth."

Jackie

"Annie is the absolute best! Her advice was on point! She made me feel like I was her only client! She helped me find the absolute perfect home and helped me get it at a fair price!"

Mira

"Annie was extremely knowledgeable and helpful in finding an investment property for my husband and I. She was easily reachable super responsive and eager to help in any way."

Rosa

"Annie is a hard worker, very knowledgeable, understanding, and supportive. She took us to a lot of places based on what were looking for and finally, we found the one."

Andrew

"Very nice and friendly. Quick to respond when you need her and is always punctual with meetings. A great person to work with when looking for your new home."

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Buyer's Guide

A Step-by-Step First Time Buyer's Guide

Step 1: Research

Step 2: Decide on Your Budget

Step 3: Get Prequalified

Step 4: Choose a Real Estate Agent

My Goal Is to Provide You with The Most Personalized Service that Is Designed to Help You Buy Your Dream Home.

Step 5: Find the Right Home

Step 6: Make an Offer

Step 7: Have the Home Inspected

Step 8: Select Your Loan

Step 9: Get a Home Appraisal

Step 10: Finish Paperwork

Congratulations!

Buyer Tips