louisiana HOME BUYERS - BEGIN HERE!

---

If you will need to borrow money to buy a home, then a local MORTGAGE Lender is your first stop! You will need to provide them your SSN for the credit check, check stubs from you employer, tax returns from the past 2 years (usually), proof of any other income or debts. The more you can provide, the faster they will have you an approval answer! They will also tell you what  price range to look at, based on your desired monthly payment. Need a Monroe LA Mortgage Lender? (Service Directory below)

The fun part can now begin! Decide what your NEEDS and WANTS are and feel free to send me a list of both. You can SEARCH HERE  daily for all new home listings. Feel free to text me any homes that you see that you like 318-538-1168 and I will verify if it is available and schedule a tour. Remember, some homes have owners living in them so they may require advance notice! Monroe, West Monroe, and Ruston are HOT markets so if we find your match, we need to act fast!

Don't worry, this part is my specialty! We will discuss what price to offer, review the property disclosures, and how to handle any contingencies (such as selling your current home or asking for repairs), and the timeframe for inspections and closing. We will write an official offer and send it to the Seller/Sellers agent. The seller will review our offer and respond by either accepting, countering, or rejecting. Once both parties agree, we will be UNDER CONTRACT/PENDING!! 

Send the accepted purchase contract to your lender asap. Time for inspection and appraisal! You will have a  set deadline to have any Home Inspections done. See the link below for Monroe area Inspectors. The cost is usually around $350-$450 to hire a licensed inspector and it only takes a day. We will review the report and discuss any issues found.  Only AFTER we discuss the inspection, you should tell your lender to order APPRAISAL (this may take a week to complete). Don't start packing yet..

Once you receive an update from your Lender saying that the Appraisal was "good" then you can start preparing for the closing table and START PACKING! If you have not heard from the lender for several days after appraisal, be sure to call them and ask for an update. You will pick a Home Insurance company, get quotes to lender.  Expect to touch base with your lender over the next few days. Also, DO NOT apply for any other loans/credit accounts or your mortgage could be denied, even on closing day

The week of closing still has some work to be done! You will need to call the UTILITY companies and schedule a transfer of services for the closing day.  We will also verify the closing statement with lender and title company so you will know how much $ to bring to closing. We will schedule a final walk thru of the home the day before closing. And, you will usually take occupancy and receive keys at the closing table. Be ready to sign, sign, sign (and bring your ID). Congratulations, it's yours!