Frequently Asked Questions
Buyers
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Want to just talk it through? Book a chat with me and I'll walk you through the whole process, start to finish.
If you'd rather get a jump start on your own first, here's the one thing to do: call a lender and get pre-approved. That tells us your loan amount and loan type up front, so from day one we're only looking at homes you actually qualify for.
Don't have a lender yet? I've got a few I trust and work with all the time and I’m happy to make introductions. Do you already have someone you like? That works too; I just want you set up with someone you trust.
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That's really a conversation between you and your lender. They're the ones who can tell you what you qualify for and talk through what actually feels comfortable for your budget. Here's the thing though: you might qualify for more than you want to spend each month. That's exactly why we talk through this up front, before we ever look at a single house. I never want you falling in love with something you can't afford. Let's nail down your number first, then I can make the right match!
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Buying a home comes with a few new terms, and there's no reason to feel hesitant asking what any of them mean; that's exactly what I'm here for.
Earnest Money - think of this as a good-faith deposit. It tells the seller you're serious while we handle the inspection and appraisal. It's usually around 1% of the purchase price, but can change with the market. Don’t worry, I stay on top of the numbers for you. Earnest money is due within 3-5 days after you sign the contract.
Home Inspection - this is where a professional walks the house top to bottom and tells you exactly what you're getting into before you commit. It is one of the most important steps in the process and usually runs about $350-$600 depending on the size of the home and which inspections you choose. I will be there with you helping you make these decisions, so don’t worry about feeling overwhelmed at this point. You pay the inspector directly, typically within the first 7-10 days after signing the contract.
Appraisal - your lender orders this to confirm the home is actually worth what you're paying for it. It typically runs $500-$700 and usually happens around the second week after signing the contract.
Closing Costs - these are the lender and title fees you'll pay on closing day. They vary quite a bit depending on the price of the home, and your lender will give you the exact number for each.
Down Payment - this is the piece of the loan you pay upfront at closing. Your lender determines the amount, and it can vary a good bit depending on your loan type. All the more reason to start with the numbers before you start seeing homes.
I know that's a lot of numbers and new concepts to take in at once. That’s exactly why we start with a sit down and go through all of it together so you can ask as many questions as you need to so you feel confident throughout the process.
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The rules around this changed a couple years back, and I want you to understand exactly how it works.
Agent commissions are completely negotiable and can be paid by the buyer, the seller, or both. Before we ever tour a single house together, you and I will sign a written agreement that states my agreed upon commission so there are no surprises down the road.
Once we're working on an offer, I always ask the seller if they're willing to cover all or some of my fee. A lot of the time, they will, which saves you money out of pocket. If they only cover part or none, the rest falls to you per our agreement.
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Once we find you the perfect match, most resale contracts run about 30-45 days from signing to closing. New construction is a different animal, though, and the timeline really depends on where the builder is in the process. We'll talk through that one together based on the specific project.
Sellers
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Book a call and let's talk timelines. Then I'll put together Your Home’s Next Match, a free listing strategy session to make sure the right buyer walks through your door, at the right price, and hopefully within your timeline. This is the time we will see if we are a good match as well!
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Once you're ready to list, I'll come see the house myself to do a walk through, get a feel for the condition, and put together what's called a Comparative Market Analysis, or CMA. That means I look at what homes similar to yours have actually sold for in your area, factor in the condition of your home, and from that we land on a smart listing price together.
Something worth keeping in mind while we talk about price: most homes need an appraisal before they can close, and the lender won't loan the buyer more than the home appraises for. We always price with that in the back of our minds. I want your home to sell for every dollar it's worth, but I also want that number to hold up to the market AND when the appraiser walks through.
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My commission is always negotiable, nothing about it is set by law, and we'll spell it out together in writing before your home ever hits the market. If you'd like to offer some compensation to the buyer's agent to help things move smoother, that's entirely your call, and we'll talk through what makes sense for your situation.
As for what that fee covers, it's a lot more than a sign in the yard. Marketing your property includes professional photos, getting your home in front of the right buyers, negotiating on your behalf, handling the paperwork and deadlines, and everything in between that gets you all the way to closing. I'll walk you through exactly what that looks like for your home during your listing appointment.
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Unfortunately, there's no way to promise you an exact timeline and anybody who tells you otherwise is guessing. A lot goes into how fast a home sells, but price, condition, and location are the big three. Those are also things we have the most control over, so that’s good news! If you're on a tighter timeline, we can price it more competitively to move faster. If you're in less of a hurry, we can take a little more time to get top dollar. Either way, we'll set that strategy together based on what actually matters to you
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We want your home showing at its best, and condition really does matter, right up there with price and location. But here's my advice before you spend a dime: don't start ripping things out or painting walls until someone who knows this market has walked through it with you. I've seen sellers spend money in the wrong places and it just doesn't come back to them at closing.
Take flooring, for instance. If your carpet's older or stained, your gut might say replace it. But a lot of times, offering the buyer a flooring allowance instead, a little credit so they can pick what they actually want, gets you further than spending thousands on new carpet they might rip out anyway. Book a call and we'll figure out together where your money's worth spending, and where it's not, before we ever land on a listing price.
