Guide to Buying Your Home

Transcription

1 Guide to Buying Your Home

2 Ready to Start a New Chapter? We re here to help you find the best home for your needs. Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Verani Realty is committed to finding the right home at the right price for our buyers, whether it s their first time or they re experienced with the real estate market. This guide will highlight just some of the support and services you ll receive from a Verani agent during your home search and purchase. Verani and Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Digital Home Search Tools Making the Most of Your Home Search Our Partners

3 Celebrating over 50 years in business! Our Vision To be the best in the industry. Our Mission To deliver a quality and professional real estate experience, and provide the very best and most timely information and resources available, enabling our clients to make great real estate decisions. The Verani Story Trust Respect Tenacity Innovation Fun Our Values Awards & Recognition Top 7% Top 4% Top 2% Top 1% Top Half of 1% Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Verani Realty has been serving the real estate needs in the communities of New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Maine and Vermont since 1967, when our father, Osvaldo Ozzie Verani, founded the company. In the last few years, we have grown to multiple locations across southern and central New Hampshire and northern Massachusetts, with over 500 licensed real estate agents. Our emphasis on customer service, commitment to training and coaching, affiliation with the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices real estate network, and utilization of the latest technological resources allow us to provide support for our agents and a memorable experience for both sellers and buyers. Ozzie framed his philosophy on the principles of mutual respect, trust, customer service, and quality. Though our business has greatly broadened from when our father was running the business, we have never lost sight of the core values in which he operated. We pride ourselves as being a family-owned business, with a dedicated and professional team that works hard to earn trust from our clients.

4 We Know How to Find Great Homes About Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Longevity: 100+ years in business Part of the Berkshire Hathaway family of businesses, which is made up of over 60+ well known companies Offices nationwide, with over 40,000 sales professionals in the nation s leading markets Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Verani Realty is a brokerage member of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices, a network brand of HSF Affiliates LLC, of which HomeServices of America, Inc. TM is a majority owner. Our affiliation with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices means we have a national and international network to tap into when buying a home. Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices selects their brokers from the best of the best in each market, so you know that you re working with a knowledgeable agent who is up to date on homes available in the current market. A home is one of the most important assets that most people will ever buy. Homes are also where memories are made and you want to work with someone you can trust. Warren Buffett, Berkshire Hathaway, Inc. Chairman and CEO Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices brings to the real estate market a definitive mark of stability, strength, and above all, quality. It reflects Berkshire Hathaway s strong reputation through core values of trust, integrity, stability and longevity. It s Good to Know Berkshire Hathaway #4 Most Admired Companies, 2017 #3 Biggest Public Companies, 2017 #3 Most Respected Companies, 2015

5 We re Here for Every Step of the Process

6 What People are Saying About Us With over 500 agents, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Verani Realty has real estate experts to cover every type of real estate need. As a family-owned business that s connected to a global brand, you know you ll be in good hands with us. Hear what our clients and customers have to say: Guidance for First-time Buyers As first time home buyers, my wife and I struggled to navigate through different real estate agents who failed to meet our needs. When we started working with Jeanne, it was a breath of fresh air, giving us all of her time and actually listening to our needs. Jeanne was a proactive professional, with excellent communication skills, and a real passion for the industry. She made buying our first home as stress free as possible, and spent the time finding us our perfect house. Making it Smooth for Sellers My experience with Verani Realty and Amy was exceptional. My home was sold in just 3 days! The events from that point forward were a little nerve racking but Amy kept me calm. I would recommend Amy highly - very professional and always very helpful. Helping You Find the Right Home [We] are settled into the new house and loving it! We would like to thank you for the professionalism and exceptional service you provided us with the purchase of our home. Bob helped me weed through the listings to find the right home at the right time. He is knowledgeable about buildings and construction, which helped with bouncing ideas back and forth to know if a place was a diamond in the rough...or just rough!

7 More Time Relaxing, Less Time Searching Kelly did a wonderful job acting as our buyer s agent as we looked for a vacation home in the NH lakes region. She helped identify properties that would be a good fit and spent countless hours setting up visits and taking us around to see them. After seeing 27 properties, we finally found the perfect fit. Kelly got our offer accepted and set up the inspection and closing very quickly so we would not miss the 2017 summer season. A Trusted Source When Searching from Afar I spent 3 separate weekends traveling from FL to NH and Kathy helped us with every home until we found the one! She even looked at some homes prior to our arrival and gave us information to help us save time. If I were to buy again I would certainly use Kathy as she knows the area and is a pleasure to work with! Get started with a Verani agent today!

8 Find Your New Home with a Few Clicks According to the National Association of REALTORs 2017 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, 88% of recent buyers see websites as the most useful source of information. Verani.com is built to be the best resource possible for finding the right property. Find all the listings you would find on the MLS, but with features to make it easy to manage your real estate journey. Search using map view, MLS number, price range, and other detailed criteria Lists of open houses and properties that are coming soon Save favorites and create trip maps for visiting multiple properties Search for agents by location, language and specialty Set up updates, saved searches and instant notifications about new listings Data on recent sales and market trends Blogs, articles and guides about how to navigate the home buying process Detailed information about NH & MA communities, including local amenities, community reviews, commute times, school system information, and demographics Find land opportunities and new construction communities, including singlefamily homes, detached condos, or townhomes Visit Verani.com, sign up for an account, and discover an easier way to manage your real estate search!

9 Stay Connected to Your Search with Social Stay connected with us on the go! Our social platforms offer you the latest real estate tips and market news from our agents. Read the latest Verani blogs about home care, home buying, and home selling tips Latest in agent and Verani news Industry updates and stats Connect with individual agents on their social channels (ask your agent for their handle) Watch listing videos, video tours, and vlogs that explore the latest homes on the market Read expert advice from our agents on their individual websites and blogs Find local homebuyer fairs, community festivals, and other events where you can meet our agents out in their communities Connect with us for the latest home buyer resources, market news, and other content!

10 Choosing the Right Mortgage Provider The first step to searching for a home is getting pre-approved for a mortgage. When you are preapproved, sellers know you are serious. Mortgage pre-approval can be done in as little as a day, and it requires completing an application to the lender and submission of all necessary financial and employment documentation. During this time, please take note to: Avoid making any large purchases (e.g. cars, furniture, appliances). The extra payment could affect your pre-approval for a home loan. Maintain your credit score by keeping your bill payments on schedule How to Find the Right Mortgage Provider for You Choose a loan originator that is a good listener. You want an originator who is interested in your individual situation. It is important they listen to you and are there every step of the way. Investigate the rate the loan originator is offering. Every provider will do their best to offer competitive rates and closing costs. If the rate sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Ask about additional fees or closing costs and what happens if your rate lock-in expires. Look for a provider who will fund the loan from their office. There is a difference between a mortgage broker and a direct lender. Both offer choices in programs, but it is important to understand if an outside party has the ultimate control over scheduling and financing terms. Make sure the provider is familiar with the closing and settlement practices in the state you are purchasing in. Delays can frequently be traced back to a lender s unfamiliarity with local requirements. Improperly scheduled and funded loans can prevent you from getting the keys on moving day. Ask who the provider uses for closing and outside services. Equally important is knowing if the closing attorney or title company can accommodate the dates, location, funding and recording schedule you need.

11 Working with Your Agent Finding the right home can be a complicated but exciting process. Your Verani agent is committed to making your home search as efficient as possible by listening to your needs and what is important to you, selecting properties that meet your needs, scheduling time to look at homes and asking for your feedback. To make your home search as effective as possible, it s important to work together with your agent. Here are some expectations you can have of your agent, and that your agent will have of you: Verani Agent s Role: To provide customer service excellence and real estate guidance built on trust, knowledge and expertise from the beginning of your home search to the closing transaction: Provide current real estate trending information. Schedule property showings that match your criteria. Streamline the process with strong communication, social media & negotiating skills. Deliver professional direction and assistance so you can make the best decisions on your purchase buying a property is one of the biggest investments anyone can make! Your Role As A Buyer: To help ensure a successful transaction, please: Be flexible in your availability to schedule home showings. Provide contact information if you are leaving town for delivery of important forms. Be careful not to say anything to a seller or their sales professional that could divulge your situation, motivation or weaken your negotiating position, especially regarding price or your urgency to buy.

12 Understanding Your Wants & Needs Your real estate professional will offer knowledge and expertise throughout the many complexities of the home buying process. Clear communication between you and your agent is critical to making sure you spend your house hunt looking at the right properties. When you first select your agent, take a moment to discuss the following questions so you can work together to have a clear plan of action: What is your preferred method of communication? Who should be the main point of contact? Is there a certain date you need to be in your new home? Is it flexible? Is the purchase of your new home contingent on the sale of another home? Have you determined a price range for your property search? Are there any other people who will be involved in the decision making process? Have you ever purchased a home before? How did you find the experience?

13 Deciding on Your Must-Have Features Finding and buying the right home is a highly personalized process, and it begins by identifying your needs. Prior to looking for your new home, take a moment to think about these questions and which property features are most important to you: What would you consider a comfortable work commute? What are the most important activities for the members of your household? What are the features you liked most about the homes you have lived in previously? Use this chart to help you determine what you need in a home versus what would be nice but negotiable.

14 Preparing & Submitting an Offer Once you have found the right property, the next step is to make an offer. A written property disclosure statement from the seller will give you a clear understanding of their knowledge of the property and the surrounding area. Be sure to also review estimated costs in order to get a full understanding of everything necessary to complete the purchase - this includes inspections, repairs, lender fees, prepaids, taxes, moving expenses, and agency fees. Steps to Preparing and Submitting an Offer: Decide on financing: Review the status of your loan pre-approval, and work with your loan officer on financing options so you can finalize your mortgage plan. Consider what is important to you: Investigate concerns you may have about the neighborhood. Environmental issues, crime statistics, school districts, tax rates, and other factors could influence your decision. Visit the town hall to learn about property owner requirements, and check public records for additional information. Present your written offer to the seller: The seller will have three options: accept your offer, reject it, or adjust it (counteroffer). With a counteroffer, you can choose to accept it, reject it or make a counteroffer. Know there may be competing offers: Your offer may be one of multiple offers or the only offer the seller is considering. There is no requirement that the buyer be informed of the existence of other offers. Receive final Purchase Agreements: A finalized copy of the agreement, with all of the changes in writing, will be signed and promptly distributed to all parties.

15 Making a Smooth Transition to Your New Home The key to an easy move is careful planning. There are steps you can take, from two months before the move until moving day, to make sure you have all your bases covered and eliminate potential stress. Use this checklist so you won t overload your schedule or mind, and even save some money. Two Months Prior Get estimates from at least three professional movers. If you are going to do it yourself, get prices on rental trucks. After you receive estimates and make your decision, coordinate and book services early, especially if you re planning your move around a holiday week/weekend. Decide which furniture and household goods you ll be taking and which needs to be disposed of or sold. Be sure to note what needs to be replaced if you get rid of something. If you re moving to a new city, contact the Chamber of Commerce for a new residence packet. Your real estate agent may also have information. Six Weeks Prior Make an inventory of your possessions besides furniture, such as kitchenware, decorative items, electronics, apparel, etc. Complete a change of address form with the post office (this can easily be done online). Notify organizations, credit card companies, and any magazines or subscriptions of your new address.

16 Obtain copies of all medical, dental, legal, accounting, and veterinarian records. If children are changing schools, arrange for transfer of educational records. Itemize moving-related costs with the mover including packing, loading, special charges, and insurance. One Month Prior Make arrangements for packing your belongings. If you re using professional movers, schedule for packing to take place a day or two before the move. If you re handling packing on your own, purchase adequate boxes, packing materials and tape. Arrange for short-term or long-term storage if needed. Make travel arrangements for pets, including getting necessary medical records, immunizations, and medications. Three Weeks Prior Begin packing items you won t need immediately or that will go into storage. Contact utilities on both ends of the move to order termination or turn-on for occupancy date. Confirm travel arrangements for family and pets. Two Weeks Prior Terminate newspaper and other delivery services. If necessary, arrange and confirm new bank accounts and local services in your new neighborhood. One Week Prior Gather important papers, records, and valuables for protected shipment to new home or safe deposit box. Obtain any prescription medications needed for the next few weeks. Day Before Moving Day Defrost refrigerator/freezer and give away all perishable food. Keep a box marked Last Box Packed/First Box Unpacked for tools, flashlights, first aid kit, etc. On moving day, this should be the last box placed on the truck. Pack items to carry with you such as valuables, financial records, personal papers, etc. Give the movers a telephone number and address to reach you.

17 Services for a Smooth Transaction A real estate agent is only one aspect of the range of services you'll need when buying a home. Choosing a mortgage company, getting the necessary insurances, and finding reliable title and closing services are just as important to a smooth transaction. At Verani Realty, we have experience working with local companies that we know provide quality services and great customer service. Title and Closing Services One Verani Way Londonderry, NH brokerstitlenh.com info@brokerstitlenh.com Comprehensive title and closing services throughout New Hampshire Comprehensive title searches to ensure no defects in chain of ownership Prepare and review loan documents Verify real estate taxes Conduct quick and efficient closings Title insurance policies Competitive fee schedules