Buying or selling a home in St. Clair County? Frank Real Estate can help.

Purchasing a home is an intimidating event for most people. However, with a little up-front planning, it isn't all that confusing. So you understand exactly what to expect, we like to provide our buyers with a road map of the whole deal. These are our nine steps to purchasing a home.

Step 1 – Prepare to buy
Before you start looking for a home, there are a lot of things you'll want to contemplate. You'll want to assemble an index of items you need, get a feeling for what neighborhoods you want to live in, and start planning around your budget. Ensuring your mortgage payment is around 30 percent of your monthly income is a good guideline to follow.

Step 2 – Communicate with a real estate agent
This is where Frank Real Estate comes in. We'll book a time to meet so we can talk about why you want to buy a home and get an idea of your future plans. We'll discuss the mortgage industry, other economic factors that may affect your purchase today or in the future, as well as neighborhoods and school districts in the St. Clair County area.

We'll also help you begin the loan process. There are some excellent mortgage professionals in St. Clair County, and we work with a lot of them, so you're in great hands. They'll help you choose which type of loan is best for you, as well as help you get approved.

Step 3 – Begin your home search
After we meet for the first time, we'll start finding houses on the market that are a good fit for you. We'll research most of the homes and eliminate the duds, and then we'll book appointments to view the homes whenever it's most convenient for you.

As we tour homes, we'll point out positive features, as well as bad ones. we'll also ask you about things you like and don't like. Generally, buyers amend their list of must-haves as we tour homes and some items become more crucial than others. If that's the case, we'll go back through the listings another time and trim it down to the home of your dreams.

Step 4 – Get a grasp of the market
Your agent's knowledge of the St. Clair County market is an imperative element in your house search. And we can assure you we're in touch with all the schools and neighborhoods, and we will let you know certain neighborhoods are "hot" and demand immediate action and the rest that are "cool" and allow for thoughtful examination.

When we view houses, we'll let you know when the list price has room for bargaining and when we think the house is "priced to sell." Trust your instincts and make sure you ask your agent a lot of questions, as any real estate agent will convince you they truly know the home market. If things don't add up, call us at (810) 765-4005 or e-mail us at jeannekfrank@gmail.com, and we'll be happy to answer your questions. Our market knowledge will help you stay a step above the rest throughout the entire deal.

Step 5 – Find the house you've been waiting for
We're certain we'll find the home of your dreams in St. Clair County. When that happens, we'll carefully develop your real estate purchase offer. The offer will be tailored with your needs in mind, including some contingencies. A few examples are obtaining financing, carrying out the home inspection, and a clear title.

When we turn in your offer, you'll likely want to present "earnest money." This is a cash deposit submitted to the home seller to secure the offer to buy the property. The amount is typically applied to the closing costs. If the offer is accepted by the seller, we should close on the property about 30 to 60 days afterward. This allows necessary time for your mortgage financing.

Step 6 – Negotiate the deal
Unfortunately most deals aren't closed on the first offer. It's pretty common to receive a counter offer. But don't let it intimidate you. We'll consider whether or not to accept the counter offer, propose our own counter offer, or decline the seller's offer and go on.

Market circumstances determine how aggressively we negotiate the deal. In addition, we'll work within your financing limits. And when it's all said and done, we'll put together a contract that's best for you.

Step 7 – Obtain financing
After the deal is signed, you'll begin working with your lender to close the loan. If you're pre-approved, this won't take very long at all. However, you'll need to keep in close contact with your mortgage lender. And we'll sort out all the property information your mortgage lender needs to close the loan.>

Step 8 – Close the deal
You'll get a Good Faith Estimate (GFE) detailing closing costs from your lender within three days of receiving your application. The estimate rests on the loan amount, and RESPA requirements mandate that it has to involve all closing costs and be within a strict range of accuracy. we'll go over the estimate and let you know if everything looks okay.

Then we'll close on your house. This will probably occur at a title company or escrow office and will probably be a smooth and easygoing occurrence.

Step 9 – Move in
Success! It's time to move into your new home. Enjoy it. And if you need anything or have any questions, simply call us at (810) 765-4005 or send us an e-mail.