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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. 

Testimonials

"Sacha did a great job walking us through the process of looking at homes. She knows what to look for and what would be a red flag. Sacha was honest throughout the process and really took our needs into consideration. She is excellent at planning home visits and making us feel well taken care of. We never felt lied to or taken advantage of due to our lack of knowledge in real estate. I definitely would not use anyone else when buying or selling our home."
"Sacha did a great job walking us through the process of looking at homes. She knows what to look for and what would be a red flag. Sacha was honest throughout the process and really took our needs into consideration. She is excellent at planning home visits and making us feel well taken care of. We never felt lied to or taken advantage of due to our lack of knowledge in real estate. I definitely would not use anyone else when buying or selling our home."
Jessi L.
"Sacha is truly outstanding. I can’t imagine anyone else guiding my family through one of the most significant financial decisions of our lives. From the beginning, Sacha earned our complete trust with her expertise and unwavering dedication. She maximized the value of our property, ultimately securing an offer that far exceeded our expectations. Her professionalism is unmatched, yet she brings energy and an engaging personality to the process. Spend just two minutes talking with her, and you’ll quickly realize she is equal parts impeccable values and an industry expert. And, to top it off, Sacha has two of the best dogs you’ll ever meet."
"Sacha is truly outstanding. I can’t imagine anyone else guiding my family through one of the most significant financial decisions of our lives. From the beginning, Sacha earned our complete trust with her expertise and unwavering dedication. She maximized the value of our property, ultimately securing an offer that far exceeded our expectations. Her professionalism is unmatched, yet she brings energy and an engaging personality to the process. Spend just two minutes talking with her, and you’ll quickly realize she is equal parts impeccable values and an industry expert. And, to top it off, Sacha has two of the best dogs you’ll ever meet."
Mike G.
"Sacha was the supreme professional I needed to sell my unit in Cabbagetown. Her PR skills came in handy as she created a creative approach amid an uncertain market and at times, for an uncertain seller. She consulted big decisions with me and always took my needs into consideration. I'd recommend her to anyone who's looking for a consultative realtor. She's a realtor with true drive and determination for a successful close!"
"Sacha was the supreme professional I needed to sell my unit in Cabbagetown. Her PR skills came in handy as she created a creative approach amid an uncertain market and at times, for an uncertain seller. She consulted big decisions with me and always took my needs into consideration. I'd recommend her to anyone who's looking for a consultative realtor. She's a realtor with true drive and determination for a successful close!"
Maddie C.
"We were referred to Sacha by our family members who could not say enough wonderful things about her, all of which we found to be absolutely true! Throughout the entire process, she was always extremely patient with us and our many questions. She was honest with us in every way that you would want your agent to be. She made the buying process feel incredibly easy and stress-free and we are so grateful to have gone through this experience with her leading the way!"
"We were referred to Sacha by our family members who could not say enough wonderful things about her, all of which we found to be absolutely true! Throughout the entire process, she was always extremely patient with us and our many questions. She was honest with us in every way that you would want your agent to be. She made the buying process feel incredibly easy and stress-free and we are so grateful to have gone through this experience with her leading the way!"
Hayden C.
"Sacha is the best agent we’ve ever had the pleasure of working with! We chatted with a few before choosing who to go with when purchasing our first home and going with Sacha was the best decision! She was detail-oriented, always prompt when responding to communication, explained everything we’d need to know so we felt comfortable and knowledgeable while going through the process as first-time buyers, and cared so much about our home search. If you want someone who will go to bat for you just like family would when buying a house, Sacha is your gal. I can’t recommend her enough! We already have multiple family members who are planning to use her as well once they see how easy she made the process for us!"
"Sacha is the best agent we’ve ever had the pleasure of working with! We chatted with a few before choosing who to go with when purchasing our first home and going with Sacha was the best decision! She was detail-oriented, always prompt when responding to communication, explained everything we’d need to know so we felt comfortable and knowledgeable while going through the process as first-time buyers, and cared so much about our home search. If you want someone who will go to bat for you just like family would when buying a house, Sacha is your gal. I can’t recommend her enough! We already have multiple family members who are planning to use her as well once they see how easy she made the process for us!"
Casey S.
"Working with Sacha on my condo search has been fantastic! When I reached out, Sacha was quick to respond and find out the price range, neighborhoods, floor plans, and other requirements I was looking for. She put together a daily email of properties I may be interested in, which relieved a lot of stress of having to search as diligently myself. When I was interested in a property, Sacha would go above and beyond to learn details about HOA fees, parking, guests, amenities, and more, and quickly schedule tours. Although I decided to put a hold on purchasing for now, I feel much more comfortable purchasing in the future after my experience working with Sacha. I recommend her to all my friends in the Atlanta area who are looking to buy a home (and one has already fully gone through the process of buying a condo with her)!"
"Working with Sacha on my condo search has been fantastic! When I reached out, Sacha was quick to respond and find out the price range, neighborhoods, floor plans, and other requirements I was looking for. She put together a daily email of properties I may be interested in, which relieved a lot of stress of having to search as diligently myself. When I was interested in a property, Sacha would go above and beyond to learn details about HOA fees, parking, guests, amenities, and more, and quickly schedule tours. Although I decided to put a hold on purchasing for now, I feel much more comfortable purchasing in the future after my experience working with Sacha. I recommend her to all my friends in the Atlanta area who are looking to buy a home (and one has already fully gone through the process of buying a condo with her)!"
Tori V.
"I want to take a moment to express my sincerest gratitude for all of Sacha’s hard work and dedication throughout the process of selling my home and buying a condo. From the very beginning, she was positive and always thoughtful about my concerns and quickly addressed any questions. Her marketing skills were the best! I felt confident that she was proactively looking out for me to navigate any obstacles. Selling and buying property is stressful but Sacha was always calm and reassuring."
"I want to take a moment to express my sincerest gratitude for all of Sacha’s hard work and dedication throughout the process of selling my home and buying a condo. From the very beginning, she was positive and always thoughtful about my concerns and quickly addressed any questions. Her marketing skills were the best! I felt confident that she was proactively looking out for me to navigate any obstacles. Selling and buying property is stressful but Sacha was always calm and reassuring."
Judith D.
"Working with Sacha to find our first home was such a wonderful experience! We met with her to talk through the process and just over a week later we were under contract on an amazing house. She walked us through the entire process from putting in the offer, to inspections, to closing, and made it all as least stressful as possible. If you're considering buying or selling a home, you want Sacha on your team. She's a true professional and very easy to get along with, we truly can't say enough good things about her. We'll be working with her on all our real estate needs!"
"Working with Sacha to find our first home was such a wonderful experience! We met with her to talk through the process and just over a week later we were under contract on an amazing house. She walked us through the entire process from putting in the offer, to inspections, to closing, and made it all as least stressful as possible. If you're considering buying or selling a home, you want Sacha on your team. She's a true professional and very easy to get along with, we truly can't say enough good things about her. We'll be working with her on all our real estate needs!"
Ryan M.
"Sacha was absolutely the most wonderful realtor to have by my side throughout the process of buying my first home. This was a dream I didn't even realize was achievable, and she walked me through every step of the process with such knowledge, expertise, and empathy. She handled everything (any and all questions, inspection, repairs, appraisal, closing) so well and ended up working out an even better deal for me. When we started the home search, our goal was to close on a home by the end of the month and we did just that! In addition to being a true professional, Sacha is relatable, fun, and so easy to work with. I couldn't have asked for a better agent and will look nowhere else for future real estate needs!"
"Sacha was absolutely the most wonderful realtor to have by my side throughout the process of buying my first home. This was a dream I didn't even realize was achievable, and she walked me through every step of the process with such knowledge, expertise, and empathy. She handled everything (any and all questions, inspection, repairs, appraisal, closing) so well and ended up working out an even better deal for me. When we started the home search, our goal was to close on a home by the end of the month and we did just that! In addition to being a true professional, Sacha is relatable, fun, and so easy to work with. I couldn't have asked for a better agent and will look nowhere else for future real estate needs!"
Taylor W.
"I can’t begin to explain how helpful Sacha was through the home buying process, especially for a 1st time home buyer. She is extremely well-versed about all the neighborhoods in Atlanta and their future developments (truly knows the market). Sacha understood my needs/dislikes/likes so effortlessly and genuinely cared about my benefit in everything. She is always available readily for any questions/concerns and showings in this fast-paced housing market. I can’t recommend her enough and hopefully, I get to work with her again in the future!"
"I can’t begin to explain how helpful Sacha was through the home buying process, especially for a 1st time home buyer. She is extremely well-versed about all the neighborhoods in Atlanta and their future developments (truly knows the market). Sacha understood my needs/dislikes/likes so effortlessly and genuinely cared about my benefit in everything. She is always available readily for any questions/concerns and showings in this fast-paced housing market. I can’t recommend her enough and hopefully, I get to work with her again in the future!"
Rafiya T.

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