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Your Roadmap to Finding the Perfect Home

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. 

What My Clients Say

Testimonials

"Chris did a fantastic job as our realtor. We were moving from FL to NC, and timelines were difficult to manage. Chris made more than ample time for us, never once rushed us, gave us great advice on various items, and got us the house we wanted. In our eyes, he went above and beyond what we expected from a realtor. (And he’s a super nice guy to boot.). 10/10! Will be working with him again. Thanks, Chris! You’re awesome!"
"Chris did a fantastic job as our realtor. We were moving from FL to NC, and timelines were difficult to manage. Chris made more than ample time for us, never once rushed us, gave us great advice on various items, and got us the house we wanted. In our eyes, he went above and beyond what we expected from a realtor. (And he’s a super nice guy to boot.). 10/10! Will be working with him again. Thanks, Chris! You’re awesome!"
Buyer
"It was a pleasure working with Chris to find my new house. He is very smart and knowledgeable about real estate. He has an easygoing personality that makes if comfortable during the stressful house-buying process in the Charlotte market. Chris spent hours every weekend for two months driving all over Charlotte to help me find my perfect home. He remembered all of the things that I desired in a home and looked for those types of houses. He negotiated the cost of my house to get it in my price range. Chris was very responsive and very willing to explain the process. Even after closing on the house, Chris stayed in touch to be sure that all of my additional requests to the builder were being heard. Chris presented me with a beautiful housewarming gift and a very nice card that topped off the sale of the house and moving into my new home. I recommend Chris Hansen as a realtor."
"It was a pleasure working with Chris to find my new house. He is very smart and knowledgeable about real estate. He has an easygoing personality that makes if comfortable during the stressful house-buying process in the Charlotte market. Chris spent hours every weekend for two months driving all over Charlotte to help me find my perfect home. He remembered all of the things that I desired in a home and looked for those types of houses. He negotiated the cost of my house to get it in my price range. Chris was very responsive and very willing to explain the process. Even after closing on the house, Chris stayed in touch to be sure that all of my additional requests to the builder were being heard. Chris presented me with a beautiful housewarming gift and a very nice card that topped off the sale of the house and moving into my new home. I recommend Chris Hansen as a realtor."
Buyer
"Our agent Christopher Hansen, was very helpful, he even helped us to put our stuff in our storage building. He also bought some decorations for our old house to make it more attractive to the buyer. All I can say to Christopher Hansen is to keep up the good work. Thank you very much for helping us find a home. Have a blessed day."
"Our agent Christopher Hansen, was very helpful, he even helped us to put our stuff in our storage building. He also bought some decorations for our old house to make it more attractive to the buyer. All I can say to Christopher Hansen is to keep up the good work. Thank you very much for helping us find a home. Have a blessed day."
Beng
"Chris is the absolute best. This was my first home and he was so patient and understanding. He was always available to answer my many questions. I highly recommend Chris, you won't regret it. When I was looking for my home houses were selling in a matter of hours at times and he worked hard to help me find a home."
"Chris is the absolute best. This was my first home and he was so patient and understanding. He was always available to answer my many questions. I highly recommend Chris, you won't regret it. When I was looking for my home houses were selling in a matter of hours at times and he worked hard to help me find a home."
Buyer
"Chris is by far the best in the business. He is smart friendly honest and attentive. The Charlotte market is terrible for buyers and the homes sell in just a few days, requiring fast action and often leading to bidding wars. Chris helped us get the home of our dreams far below the asking price! Do not hesitate, he will be a blessing to you as well!"
"Chris is by far the best in the business. He is smart friendly honest and attentive. The Charlotte market is terrible for buyers and the homes sell in just a few days, requiring fast action and often leading to bidding wars. Chris helped us get the home of our dreams far below the asking price! Do not hesitate, he will be a blessing to you as well!"
Tony E.
"Chris went above and beyond in all aspects for us. We were being relocated from Southern California to Charlotte by my employer. Chris not only made himself available at all hours of the day and night due to the time difference but he did almost all of the leg work for us. Anytime we saw a house that we may like he would go to the property and view it as well as take a video walk-through so that we had a much better understanding of the layout. When it comes to his professionalism and personality I must say that you end up feeling more like you have made a new friend in the area rather than just having a realtor. This definitely put me as much at ease as possible in this hectic cross-country search. Chris took a lot of time asking qualifying questions to ensure that he was always showing us the homes that were the best fit for our family. Ultimately he led us to our new home. We live in a wonderful neighborhood and have amazing neighbors. If it weren't for the hard work and dedication that Chris put forth on our behalf I'm sure we would still be looking for a home. We highly recommend his services and will definitely be contacting him when we search for our second home in the coming years. He is an asset to his clients and the Charlotte Real Estate Market."
"Chris went above and beyond in all aspects for us. We were being relocated from Southern California to Charlotte by my employer. Chris not only made himself available at all hours of the day and night due to the time difference but he did almost all of the leg work for us. Anytime we saw a house that we may like he would go to the property and view it as well as take a video walk-through so that we had a much better understanding of the layout. When it comes to his professionalism and personality I must say that you end up feeling more like you have made a new friend in the area rather than just having a realtor. This definitely put me as much at ease as possible in this hectic cross-country search. Chris took a lot of time asking qualifying questions to ensure that he was always showing us the homes that were the best fit for our family. Ultimately he led us to our new home. We live in a wonderful neighborhood and have amazing neighbors. If it weren't for the hard work and dedication that Chris put forth on our behalf I'm sure we would still be looking for a home. We highly recommend his services and will definitely be contacting him when we search for our second home in the coming years. He is an asset to his clients and the Charlotte Real Estate Market."
Chad G.
"I was very impressed with Chris’ professionalism and knowledge in regard to the area. He provided excellent customer service and was very willing to answer any questions I had. I would definitely recommend it and can’t wait to continue working with Chris in the foreseeable future."
"I was very impressed with Chris’ professionalism and knowledge in regard to the area. He provided excellent customer service and was very willing to answer any questions I had. I would definitely recommend it and can’t wait to continue working with Chris in the foreseeable future."
Vlad C.
"Chris was great to work with. We never felt like he was pushy or trying to sway our opinion, but he provided thoughtful and reasonable insight when asked. As first-time buyers, he put up with a lot of questions from us and was very helpful in guiding us through the process. I would highly recommend him to anyone."
"Chris was great to work with. We never felt like he was pushy or trying to sway our opinion, but he provided thoughtful and reasonable insight when asked. As first-time buyers, he put up with a lot of questions from us and was very helpful in guiding us through the process. I would highly recommend him to anyone."
Muriel S.

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