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Buyer's Guide

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

Buying a home is one of the most exciting milestones of your life. To prepare yourself for this moment, you need to know what to expect during the process. This step-by-step first time buyer’s guide created by your agent will help reduce the stress of buying a home and help you enjoy the journey as much as possible.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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, and 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.

Passion & Expertise

My goal is to provide you with the most personalized service possible, meticulously designed to help you navigate the process of buying your dream home. I am dedicated to understanding your unique needs and preferences, ensuring that every step of the journey is tailored to achieve your ultimate home-buying aspirations.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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. 

See What Our Clients Say

Testimonials

"We enjoyed working with Sue. She was professional and realistic. She did what we asked of her. She made the process quick and easy. I would highly recommend her."
"We enjoyed working with Sue. She was professional and realistic. She did what we asked of her. She made the process quick and easy. I would highly recommend her."
Seller
"Sue Weaver was exceptional to work with. As a salesperson for over thirty years myself I respect Sue's knowledge, professionalism and strong negotiating skills.Sue was masterful at weeding out the "Lookers" and finding the "buyers" within just a few months. We actually sold our home for more than other Realtors wanted to list it for. We will highly recommend Sue to our family and friends. Sue has a wonderful sense of humor and she really made the experience fun!"
"Sue Weaver was exceptional to work with. As a salesperson for over thirty years myself I respect Sue's knowledge, professionalism and strong negotiating skills.Sue was masterful at weeding out the "Lookers" and finding the "buyers" within just a few months. We actually sold our home for more than other Realtors wanted to list it for. We will highly recommend Sue to our family and friends. Sue has a wonderful sense of humor and she really made the experience fun!"
Mitch A.
"We highly recommend Sue Weaver. Sue was great to work with. Our property sold within 3 months of listing with Sue. We received 2 offers within about 2 or 3 weeks of listing and closed escrow in less than 3 months. Throughout the whole process Sue was professional, helpful and kind. Her expert advice was instrumental in selling the property quickly even though it had been on the market for a long time previously with a different agency. We greatly appreciate Sue and her hard work in this process and we hope the buyers will enjoy their new home."
"We highly recommend Sue Weaver. Sue was great to work with. Our property sold within 3 months of listing with Sue. We received 2 offers within about 2 or 3 weeks of listing and closed escrow in less than 3 months. Throughout the whole process Sue was professional, helpful and kind. Her expert advice was instrumental in selling the property quickly even though it had been on the market for a long time previously with a different agency. We greatly appreciate Sue and her hard work in this process and we hope the buyers will enjoy their new home."
Anita A.
"We needed to sell this house very quickly as we live out of state and were making an offer on one in our new home state. The house needed work and was occupied by the most difficult tenant imaginable. Sue managed to sell the house anyway, and fast. She kept in close touch with us every step of the way. She is extremely knowledgeable about the area, knows whom to call for what, works incredibly hard and never loses her sense of humor. Sue will tell you the truth regarding how much a home is worth, whether you're selling or buying, and will answer her phone even if you're whining (like I did). I've spent most of my career in sales, including a brief stint in Real Estate Sales in Orange County, and I know what attributes a good salesperson must possess to be successful. Sue has them all. A close friend of mine who has purchased and sold high-end property in Lake Arrowhead referred me to Sue and I will be forever grateful to both my friend and Ms. Weaver!"
"We needed to sell this house very quickly as we live out of state and were making an offer on one in our new home state. The house needed work and was occupied by the most difficult tenant imaginable. Sue managed to sell the house anyway, and fast. She kept in close touch with us every step of the way. She is extremely knowledgeable about the area, knows whom to call for what, works incredibly hard and never loses her sense of humor. Sue will tell you the truth regarding how much a home is worth, whether you're selling or buying, and will answer her phone even if you're whining (like I did). I've spent most of my career in sales, including a brief stint in Real Estate Sales in Orange County, and I know what attributes a good salesperson must possess to be successful. Sue has them all. A close friend of mine who has purchased and sold high-end property in Lake Arrowhead referred me to Sue and I will be forever grateful to both my friend and Ms. Weaver!"
Owen V.
"I have bought and sold 2 Mountain Properties in the Southern California area with Sue Weaver as my agent and I would never change realtors. She is professional, knowledgeable with years of experience when it comes to delivering what you are looking for in a property. She is very detail oriented and is familiar with all of the agents on the Mountain. I felt very comfortable in sitting back and letting Her do Her job. I highly recommending Sue Weaver to all my friends and family as She is truly a Professional Realtor whom I respect and trust."
"I have bought and sold 2 Mountain Properties in the Southern California area with Sue Weaver as my agent and I would never change realtors. She is professional, knowledgeable with years of experience when it comes to delivering what you are looking for in a property. She is very detail oriented and is familiar with all of the agents on the Mountain. I felt very comfortable in sitting back and letting Her do Her job. I highly recommending Sue Weaver to all my friends and family as She is truly a Professional Realtor whom I respect and trust."
Kent E.
"We have used Sue as our agent on three transactions. She is one of the most dedicated and hard working agents on the hill. I trust her to do her due diligence, to be honest, and to do her very best in negotiations. She is our agent, and friend for life."
"We have used Sue as our agent on three transactions. She is one of the most dedicated and hard working agents on the hill. I trust her to do her due diligence, to be honest, and to do her very best in negotiations. She is our agent, and friend for life."
Lewis C.
"We worked with Sue when we bought our cabin in 1990 and called her when we listed it 22 years later. We were very pleased with her services both times! She is very familiar with the Lake Arrowhead area as well as the real estate on the "mountain." Sue responds to any issue promptly and professionally."
"We worked with Sue when we bought our cabin in 1990 and called her when we listed it 22 years later. We were very pleased with her services both times! She is very familiar with the Lake Arrowhead area as well as the real estate on the "mountain." Sue responds to any issue promptly and professionally."
Clark M.
"Sue has been our "go to" real estate person. She has been tenacious, knowledgeable and thorough. Sue has weathered all that the market can throw her way successfully, even in the present crazy market. Plus easy and creative to work with. Great real estate financial info."
"Sue has been our "go to" real estate person. She has been tenacious, knowledgeable and thorough. Sue has weathered all that the market can throw her way successfully, even in the present crazy market. Plus easy and creative to work with. Great real estate financial info."
J. R.
"Sue did an absolutely top-quality job for us in finding and helping in closing our new Lake Arrowhead home. Initially although, Sue was highly recommended to us by friends who had already received superior service. Sue has so much local experience in the area that she was able to literally give us a "history" on most homes that we were considering and valuable insights into the specific neighborhoods where prospective homes were located. Huge help! She was also a great help to us during our final negotiating process. Sue, was always ready to give us answers or to find out the answer to our many question. Her responsiveness and support were outstanding! We appreciate that this is a "glowing recommendation" but it is all absolutely true! Feel free to contact us."
"Sue did an absolutely top-quality job for us in finding and helping in closing our new Lake Arrowhead home. Initially although, Sue was highly recommended to us by friends who had already received superior service. Sue has so much local experience in the area that she was able to literally give us a "history" on most homes that we were considering and valuable insights into the specific neighborhoods where prospective homes were located. Huge help! She was also a great help to us during our final negotiating process. Sue, was always ready to give us answers or to find out the answer to our many question. Her responsiveness and support were outstanding! We appreciate that this is a "glowing recommendation" but it is all absolutely true! Feel free to contact us."
G. T.
"We have purchased 2 and sold 1 Lake Arrowhead home with Sue Weaver. She is professional in every way. Her knowledge of the Lake Arrowhead market is outstanding. Her attention to detail in both the buying and selling process is superior. We highly recommend her."
"We have purchased 2 and sold 1 Lake Arrowhead home with Sue Weaver. She is professional in every way. Her knowledge of the Lake Arrowhead market is outstanding. Her attention to detail in both the buying and selling process is superior. We highly recommend her."
Walker Family

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