Contemplating purchasing your new home in Oklahoma City?

	When you're ready to get started, just contact me here or send e-mail to eric@okcitybuys.com. I'm glad to address questions you have regarding this information.

Step 1 – Get ready to buy a home
There are plenty of things you'll want to consider before you start looking for a home. It's likely that you'll want to create an outline of features you want to have, get a plan of what school districts and neighborhoods you want to live in, and begin working on your budget. Keeping your mortgage payment less than 30 percent of your monthly income is a good rule to follow.

Step 2 – Speak with a real estate agent
This is where OKCityBuys.com can help. We'll schedule a time to get together so we can talk about why you want to buy a home and get an idea of your upcoming plans. We'll discuss the mortgage and housing industries, other economic factors that might affect your purchase today or in the future, as well as neighborhoods and school districts in the Oklahoma City area.

In addition, I'll help you facilitate the loan process. There are some very good mortgage professionals in Oklahoma City, and I partner with a lot of them, so you're in great hands. They can assist you in figuring out which type of loan is best for you and help you get approved.

Step 3 – Start looking
After our first meeting, I'll begin looking for available houses on the market that meet your needs. I'll get a sneak peek of most of the homes and throw out the duds, and then we'll book appointments to view the homes whenever it's most convenient for you.

As we tour the houses, I'll point out good features, as well as bad ones. I'll even ask you to tell us about things you like and dislike. It's widely common for buyers to change their list of must-haves as we tour houses and some things become more essential than others. If that's the situation, I'll go back through the listings another time and narrow it down to the house you've been wishing for.

Step 4 – Get a grasp of the housing market
An agent's understanding of the Oklahoma City market is a crucial component in your house search. And I can assure you I'm familiar with all the neighborhoods and school districts, and I can communicate which neighborhoods are "hot" and demand immediate action and others that are "cold" and allow for more consideration.  The Oklahoma City metropolitan area is large and encompasses many suburbs and incorporated areas - I can help you with a home in north Edmond and as far south as Norman, east to Harrah and west to Mustang or Yukon. 

As we tour homes, I'll make sure to communicate when the seller's list price has room for bargaining and also when I trust the house is "priced to sell." When working with an agent, be careful and make sure you ask plenty of questions. Every real estate agent will claim to understand the market. If things don't add up, call or text me at (405) 627-0825or e-mail me at eric@okcitybuys.com, and I'd be glad to answer any questions you may have. My market expertise will help you stay a step above the rest through the entire process.

Step 5 – Find your dream home
I'm sure we'll find the house of your dreams in Oklahoma City. When that happens, I'll precisely create your real estate purchase offer. The offer will be tailored to suit your needs, including several contingencies. A few examples are obtaining financing, completing the home inspection, and a clean title.

Upon sending in your offer, you'll need to present "earnest money." This is a cash deposit given to the home seller to secure an offer to purchase the property, and it's typically applied to the cost of closing. If your offer is accepted by the seller, we should close on the home within 30 to 60 days after. This allows enough time for your mortgage financing.

Step 6 – Negotiate
A lot of deals aren't closed on the beginning offer, and it's pretty common to receive a counter offer. Don't let it alarm you. We'll discuss whether or not to agree to the counter offer, submit our own counter offer, or reject the seller's offer and move on.

The state of the market determines how aggressively we negotiate the deal. We'll also work within your financing limits. And at the end of the day, we'll create a deal that works well for you.

Step 7 – Get a loan
Upon completing the deal, you'll begin working with your mortgage lender to close the loan. If you're already pre-qualified, it won't take very long at all. But you'll want to stay in close contact with your lender. And I'll sort out all the property information your lender needs to close the loan.

Step 8 – Close the deal
Your lender will supply you with a Good Faith Estimate (GFE) outlining your closing costs within three days of receiving your loan application. You'll get a Good Faith Estimate (GFE) detailing your closing costs from your lender within three days of accepting your loan application. The estimate depends on the loan amount. RESPA requirements require that it has to involve all closing costs and fall within a close range of accuracy, and I'll review the estimate and let you know if it all looks good.

Then it's time to close on your home. This will most likely occur at a title company or escrow office and will most often be a smooth and peaceful occurrence.

Step 9 – Move in
Congratulations! It's time to move into your new home. Enjoy it. And if you need anything or have any questions, be sure to contact me at (405) 737-0100 or send me an e-mail.