5 Things a Buyer’s Agent Will Do For You – Jyoti Justin •

5 Things a Buyer’s Agent Will Do For You

5 Things a Buyer’s Agent Will Do For You There’s no way around it. Buying a home is one of the biggest financial decisions you can make. It’s okay if that sounds a little scary, because there are people like me—agents—whose number one goal is to make the entire process easier. Your agent is your partner throughout your home search. In addition to helping you find the right home, your agent ensures that you are informed and feel confident from the first home you see, right until closing. You
How to Buy a Home: 8 Steps – Jyoti Justin •

How to Buy a Home: 8 Steps

So, you’re ready to buy a home. That’s great! Now, how do you do it?! If you’re a first-time homebuyer—or second, or third—the process may feel confusing and overwhelming. I promise, it’s not! I’ve helped many people—some with less experience than you—choose a home, make a successful offer, and claim the keys to their castle. We’re on this journey together! Here are the typical steps to follow when buying a home. First, you’ll want to obtain a letter from your bank stating that you are in goo
Shopping for a Home? Do These 3 Things First – Jyoti Justin •

Shopping for a Home? Do These 3 Things First

Shopping for a Home? Do These 3 Things First You’re beginning to look for a new home. Where do you start? Taking these three actions at the beginning of your search can help you find and move into your dream home faster. Start “shopping” by visiting open houses in and around the towns where you want to live. I can set you up in MLS (which is where the master sheet for the listing resides). You can also find listings for open houses online on sites like Zillow, Redfin, Realtor.com and more. S
Things to Consider When Buying a Home – Jyoti Justin •

Things to Consider When Buying a Home

Things to Consider When Buying a Home Asking yourself these questions when looking at a listing or visiting a home can help you decide if a home is the right choice for your current situation—and for your future. • How much have similar homes in the area sold for lately? Asking your agent to provide you with market research will help you determine the right offer to make. • How long has this home been on the market? If a home has been listed for three weeks or longer, the asking price may be to
Costs and Fees to Keep in Mind – Jyoti Justin •

Costs and Fees to Keep in Mind

Costs and Fees to Keep in Mind Buying a home is a major financial decision. And, making a down payment is a big part of it—but it’s not the only part. Being aware of other costs and fees that you may encounter when finding a new home can help you choose the right home for you, and feel more prepared when you decide to buy. Here are a few of the costs you may be responsible for as a homebuyer. You may not have to pay for all of these, but knowing about them will help you avoid surprises. If yo
Terms to Know When Buying a Home – Jyoti Justin •

Terms to Know When Buying a Home

Terms to Know When Buying a Home Have you heard these phrases mentioned by a seller or realtor (or even on this blog) during your home search? Here’s what they mean. Offer to Purchase: the official letter your agent will present to the seller when you make an offer to buy a home. Purchase and Sale: the agreement that your attorney and the seller’s attorney will create, outlining specific terms of the sale of your home. Inspection contingency: the clause in the Offer to Purchase that states t
How to Make an Offer on a New Home – Jyoti Justin •

How to Make an Offer on a New Home

How to Make an Offer on a New Home You’ve decided on the home you want to buy. Congratulations! Here’s what to do next. If you still don’t have a buyer’s agent, now is the time to find one. You do not want to make an offer on a home through the listing agent (the person whose sign is on the front yard). The listing agent may love to help you, but it’s important to remember that their job is to get the highest price for the home and the best terms and conditions for the seller. A buyer’s agent
What is a Home Inspection? – Jyoti Justin •

What is a Home Inspection?

Once your offer on your new home is accepted, you’ll generally have your home inspected to make sure that everything is working the way it should. You’ll hire an inspector to visit your home and look for damages, necessary repairs, and other things about the home that may not have been evident when you visited. An inspection gives you a chance to ask the seller to change or fix things about the home before you buy it. If you choose not to buy the home after the inspection, you’ll get your depos
What is Purchase and Sale (P&S)? – Jyoti Justin •

What is Purchase and Sale (P&S)?

What is Purchase and Sale (P&S)? Purchase and Sale is the stage of home-buying when you and the seller will work with attorneys to create an agreement, called the Purchase and Sale document. This document replaces the Offer to Purchase letter. The Purchase & Sale document generally has three parts • The standard P&S agreement, which is very similar in all contracts but will have specific information about your home, such as your closing date and any items that you and the seller have agreed wi
5 Steps to Selling Your Home – Jyoti Justin •

5 Steps to Selling Your Home

So you’re ready to sell your home. Congratulations! Selling your home may seem like a daunting task, especially if you’ve never done it before. But it doesn’t have to be overwhelming. We’ve broken it down to five simple steps. Yes, it’s possible to list and sell your home yourself, but it’s wiser to work with an agent. Your agent will understand the real estate market where you’re selling and will be able to help you prepare your home for a successful sale. And, because your agent works for yo
4 Ways to Prepare Your Home For Sale – Jyoti Justin •

4 Ways to Prepare Your Home For Sale

4 Ways to Prepare Your Home For Sale When selling a home, it’s important to keep in mind that presentation matters. You want your home to look its very best so that buyers get excited and start thinking about moving in right away. Did you know that 97% of buyers are not able to visualize a home? That’s why it is so much more important to take care of the visual appeal and put in that extra effort to get the WOW factor. Here are a few tips for making your home appealing and welcoming to buyers
Factors that Affect Your Selling Price – Jyoti Justin •

Factors that Affect Your Selling Price

You and your agent both want to get the best possible selling price for your home. To do that, it’s important to understand the factors that can affect what your home sells for, like these. How much other homes in your area–particularly homes that are similar in size to yours–have sold for is one of the main influencers on your home’s selling price, along with the timing of the market. When working with you to determine the listing price for your home, your agent will look at the recent sales
5 Ways Your Agent Markets Your Home – Jyoti Justin •

5 Ways Your Agent Markets Your Home

Your agent’s goal (and job!) is to sell your home for the best possible price. Here are 5 strategies they may (and should) use. Most buyers start their home search online, and what do you think draws their attention first? Photos, of course! Attractive, well-lit photos are key to a home listing that will interest buyers. Your agent may hire a professional photographer or take photos. Whichever way you decide to go, make sure your agent lists your home with photos that show off your home’s best
What to Do When Listing Your Home – Jyoti Justin •

What to Do When Listing Your Home

What to Do When Listing Your Home When listing your home, you may feel like what happens is up to chance. But, taking these few key actions early on can help guarantee a successful sale. The longer a home is on the market, the less it will sell for. In most cases, you’ll want to receive an offer on your home within 3 weeks of listing it. This will help you avoid having to drop your asking price or leaving your home on the market for an extended period of time. To make the most of these 3 week
What Happens After You Get an Offer – Jyoti Justin •

What Happens After You Get an Offer

What Happens After You Get an Offer Great news–you’ve received an offer to buy your home! So, what do you do now? An offer on your home is a huge achievement, and one to celebrate! But, before you consider it a done deal, make sure to read the offer carefully. The offer will contain lots of details, and you’ll want to know what they are to avoid any surprises–like having to part with your appliances, light fixtures, or furniture. If anything in the offer to purchase is unclear, have your age
What is P&S… – Jyoti Justin •

What is P&S…

…and what does it mean for you? Read on to find out! By the time you’ve reached the phase of Purchase and Sale (P&S), you will have received and accepted an offer on your home, which means…it’s time to go to the next step! During P&S, your attorney and your buyer’s attorney will create the Purchase and Sale agreement–which is a standard document–and attach “riders,” which is a fancy name for additional legal addendums that protect you and the buyer. Once the P&S document is complete, the buye
Your Pre-Closing Checklist - Jyoti Justin •

Your Pre-Closing Checklist

The P&S is signed and sealed. That means you’re home free, right? Not quite! Here are a few things you need to do before the sale of your home is complete. Before your home is sold, you’ll need to show proof that it is safe for a new owner. Your listing agent can help you obtain the necessary documentation. Here’s what you’ll need: A Certificate of Compliance from your fire department confirming that your home passed a smoke and carbon monoxide inspection A Title 5 inspection of your home’s w