Buyers
Home Buyers
— Search for a Home or Condo Now. Put in your own search criteria to see all of the listings that match.
— Search at a Glance. Here are a number of searches that I’ve already created, just point and click.
— A list of all condo communities and neighborhoods for Baldwin County. You can also use the pull-down menu under “Condos and Neighborhoods” near the top of every page of this site.
— Look here for the Ultimate Guide to New Construction in Baldwin County.
I would love to work with you in the search and purchase of your new home or condo. I encourage you to continue reading more about the process and other articles for buyers. When you’re ready to get started, we’ll hit the ground running!
The Buying Process
- Initial Consultation – I really believe that an initial meeting is crucial in order to grasp what is important to you. Instead of just randomly looking at a bunch of properties “out of the gate,” I want to get a good understanding of your priorities, time frame, and needs. For instance, you may not only want to be on the Gulf, but you also may want to be able to hear the waves. Also, some people may have plenty of time to work with in their purchase while others may need to close within 45 days. During our consultation, we’ll discuss price range, neighborhoods, square footage/number of bedroom needs, schools, investment concerns, and mortgages (if needed). What I want to find out goes deeper than that though. I want to know what is a “must have” and what you can live with.
- Set Up a Personal Saved Search – Once we determine exactly what you are looking for, I’ll create a profile for you within this website that will notify you through email whenever a new listing comes on the market that matches your parameters. This will save you time in the long run by not having to sift through tons of properties that you don’t want to see. Of course, if your parameters change, I can alter the search at any time.
- Let’s Go Look! – When we go out to tour homes for the first time, we’ll likely need a couple of hours so we can see several at a time. You will definitely find some that you like and some that you don’t, so I like to use a grading system for each property so you can easily identify which listings that you would like to toss. Since we’ll be visiting multiple properties at a time, it’s a real good idea to bring a notepad with you so you make notes for each property, good and bad. Along with your opinion, I’ll be giving mine. I’ll give you my advice for things that could potentially affect resale value in the future like traffic issues, nearby power lines, school systems, awkward floor plans, etc.
- Making the Offer – Once you find the property that’s just right for you, I’ll run a market analysis to see if the home was priced correctly and communicate with the listing agent to see if there are any other interested buyers. I’ll put together the offer detailing all disclosures and contingencies. This is also the time when you will need to write a check for your earnest money deposit which is usually up to 1% of the purchase price. Although your offer may be accepted right away, most of the time there will be a couple of negotiations that I’ll take care of on your behalf.
- Contract to Close – Typical closing periods are around 30 to 45 days, from the ratification of the contract to closing. During this time, there will usually be a few inspections/contingencies to work with which I will orchestrate for you. I will also get your paperwork to all parties involved, work with inspectors, and be in constant communication with your lender, title company, and the listing agent. It’s my job to make contract to close as less stressful for you as possible.
- Closing Day – You will have your settlement statement from the lender 3 days before closing and, once the title company has finalized all of the documents, you’ll be notified of exactly how much money you need to bring to the table. In our area, we happen to have a number of out-of-town buyers, so sending the documents overnight to you is possible but you have to sign them in front of a notary. Just prior to closing, we’ll set up a “walk through” to verify that the property is in the same or better condition than at the time of writing the offer. Also, this is the time when we’ll verify that all repairs were made, if needed. Once everything is finished, the keys to your new home are yours!
Other Helpful links for home buyers:
Real Estate Articles for Buyers
If you're buying a home anywhere in Baldwin County, get in touch with me today!
Jeff Nelson
251-654-2523
jeff@livegulfshoreslocal.com
