Step by step Get ready for homeownership Check our Homeownership section, that will help you to determine the minimum information that you need to start looking for a home. Find a Realtor Once you are ready to start looking for a home, look for a Realtor. with his/her expertise, your agent will help you on different tasks such as: Finding a lender that can process your mortgage Navigating with you through the mortgage qualification process Showing you homes Finding the right home for you Writing and negotiating your offer on your behalf Facilitating the buying process for you, the listing agent, the title company and your lender Recomend different vendors that you may need (inspection companies, home warranty companies, contractors, etc.) Guide you through the closing process Etc. Loan Approval Before you start looking at homes is very important to start with the loan process and get a loan approval: Once you are approved you will know the exact amount that you qualify for and you will be able to look for a home accordingly. If you were to find a home and then find out that you qualify for less, then you will have to start over your search When presenting an offer without a loan approval, it won't be consider seriously by the listing agent Interest rates and conditions may change and you may qualify for less home in the future Approvals generated over the internet can give you an idea of how much you can qualify for but a lender still needs to review your documentation Click here to get pre-qualified Find a Home Once you get your loan approval, you and your Realtor can start looking for a home accordingly. Do not forget the priorities that you set when you were getting ready and most important, be realistic in terms of the loan amount that you are qualifying for, your monthly payments and the features that you expect. If you find the right home for you act fast, do not forget that good deals do not last long. Write an Offer You already made a decision and you are ready to make an offer: Think about the price that you want to set, the price is your decision and your agent can help you. Wether is a buyer's or seller's market keep on mind that your offer has to be realistic in all the terms. Do not forget to bring your check book to submit your deposit along with your offer. Your earnest money means that you are submitting an offer in good faith and you are a serious buyer. This is the 1st step to get you on the door to your home, you will still have sometime to make sure that everything is ok for you. Acceptance and Closing Your offer was accepted, now what?. Well, the clock starts ticking for you, your agent and your lender: You and your agent order inspections and review the reports as soon as possible You and your agent provide your lender all the required documentation to continue with the approval process Keep on mind that any negative changes on your credit report and bank accounts could cause a dennial on your loan Your lender will order an appraisal on the home that you chose The seller will provide you and your agent with disclosures related to the property Once you feel comfortable with the appraisal, your loan approval, the status of the property, disclosures, preliminary report, etc.then you will be removing contingencies and moving forward in the process of buying the property. Get your Keys! Congratulations, you have completed the buying process, you have signed the loan documents, you provided the funds of your down payment, your lender has provided the funds for your purchase and your transaction has been officially recorded. Now it is time for your Realtor to provide you with the keys of your new home and for you to move and enjoy your new home!.