I know that buying a home can be fun.  I also know that for some of us going to a complete stranger's office to talk about buying a home can be unnerving.  We've all seen the stereo-typical realtor on TV dragging the families from one home to another, pushing the family to buy the wrong home and ignoring their questions.

I want to promise you three things

• I promise to listen to you.
  
• I promise to assist you in finding honest answers to all of your questions
  
• I promise to do my best to find the home that fits your wants and needs
  

The Buying Process

The following is a step by step breakdown of the home buying process.  I have included this to help make things easier for you.  I feel the more you know, the happier you will be.

First Contact

Please feel free to call me at (239)821-1962 or email me at

First Meeting

I want you to feel as comfortable as possible when we first meet.  I would be happy to invite you to my office, but I would be just as happy to meet you at your office, your favorite coffee shop or even your home.  I believe that a first meeting should be about getting to know each other and making sure that you feel comfortable with me.  So I promise not to bring tons of paperwork.  Instead, after we exchange greetings I will ask you questions about what you want and need in a new home.  I'll also explain the buying process much as I have done here and find out what questions you have for me.

Second Meeting

At our second meeting I will provide you with the answers to any questions I may not have had an answer for at the first meeting.  I will walk you through the pre-qualification process, then I will provide you with a list of homes that I have located that I believe will fill your wants and needs.   We can go through these together at that time or you can review them at your leisure.   You may also look for homes using the search tools on this website.

Pre-Qualification

I believe in keeping people happy.  Part of that is making sure that they are looking for the right home.  Imagine how you would feel if you spent a few weeks looking at homes, finally found the one of your dreams and then found out that the payments were either beyond your means or that there was a mistake on your credit report (it happens) that prevents you from getting that dream home.  The best way to avoid having that happen is to get pre-qualified by a mortgage company.  A few minutes of work, and the banks can then tell us what dollar range homes you qualify for and what the monthly payments are for homes in that range based on your credit score.  Those few minutes are some of the best time investments you can ever make.

Looking at Homes

Looking at homes is a lot of fun.  This is a chance to change your life.  You can find things to make your life easier, you can look for things that make life more fun and it's also a chance to find a great area to make new friends.  It's exciting.  I love it and I imagine you will too.  When we go look at homes you are absolutely welcome to ride with me in my car which can make things easier for you as I know the local area inside and out.  Then again, if you prefer we can meet at any homes that you choose.  I do recommend that you contact me with a list of homes you want to look at - at least one day in advance so that we can give the owners, if need be, a little advance notice.

Making an Offer

When you find the home of your dreams I will be happy to assist you in making an offer.  But first I will do something that may surprise you.  I will ask you to spend a minute or two with me reviewing the list of things you said you needed and wanted in a home.  I want to make sure that we did not miss anything.  My goal here is to make sure that you do not get caught up in the moment and realize later there was something important that you needed that this home does not have.  Once we have double checked to make sure this home meets your needs I will walk you through the paperwork to make a purchase offer.

Offer Accepted

Once your offer has been accepted many people find themselves wondering what happens next.  I prefer to answer these type of questions before we get started with the final purchase.  I feel this makes things much easier for you to plan such as disposing of your current residence.  The first step will be getting the mortgage approved and signed.  Then I will assist you in getting title insurance, home owners insurance, etc ... and finally we will go to the closing...

Mortgage Approval

Mortgage approval can be fast or slow depending on the company you deal with and whether you fill out the paper accurately or not.  I will go through this paperwork with you to help make sure things are filled out correctly the first time for a faster approval.

Title Insurance

I will assist you in getting title insurance for the home which basically protects you in case there are disputes on who actually owns the house and also from border disputes, etc.

Home Owners Insurance

Prior to taking possession of the home you will be required by the mortgage company to get the appropriate homeowners insurance and also possibly flood insurance.  It's important to act quickly on this because you cannot take possession of the home until the mortgage company has a copy of the insurance policy in their possession.

Closing

A real estate closing is simply a meeting where the various parties (You, the buyer, the agents, and possibly the mortgage broker and/or title insurance company) get together to go through the paperwork together to make sure that everything is in order.  I will go with you to the closing to help make sure everything goes smoothly.  When the closing is over you will then own your new home.

After the Sale

I will be available to assist you in any way I can after the sale.  If you need help finding information on local schools, shopping, or utilities please feel free to call me.  I have listed much of this for you already on this website, but I want you to know that I will be here for you if you need me.