Buying a Sherwood Home

The process involved in buying a new home can take time, patience, and a willingness to search until you find the right one. Throughout the experience, you’ll likely experience ups and downs that will end with euphoria when you finally spend the first night in your new home. It’s exciting and terrifying at the same time. We understand that. And while the many options available in Sherwood make finding a place you love much easier, it’s still worthwhile to shop around and look at a number of places so you have a basis from which to make comparisons.

Purchasing a new home is the biggest purchase most people ever make, so being informed and educated along the way is a good thing. Hopefully, this home buying process article will help you understand the steps involved. But, as always, if you have additional questions or want further clarification on any aspect of what goes into purchasing a home or property in Sherwood, let us know! Not only are we the most successful realtor team in Sherwood, we live here.

The Home Buying Process Simplified

• Organize your finances (find out your credit score, get preapproval for a loan, etc.)
• Look at homes with the Gardner team, your local Sherwood realtors
• Make an offer on a home that feels right and fits within your price range
• Have patience during the necessary inspections and option period
• Allow us to handle the necessary contracts and paperwork to close
• Start living in your new home!

Understand Your Finances

Before you look at homes, you should know your budget and understand your financial situation and credit rating thoroughly. You can legally have your free credit report mailed to you once a year. Your credit report is a way lenders determine the credibility and the probability you will pay back a loan they give you. It explains your finances thus far, (i.e. the money loaned to you and how you’ve paid it back.) If you have the foresight to look at your credit report six months to a year before you actually plan to start the home buying process, you can usually clean up your credit quite a bit. Doing so will influence the interest rate of your loan, whether you can even get one in the first place, and its terms and conditions. Good credit allows you the freedom to choose from a variety of different loan offers.

Find Your Sherwood Home

Take the time to think about what’s important to you in a home. Do you want a multi-level home, does a large yard or views matter to you, and do you need a condo, a townhouse or a single family home? Do you have a particular school in mind for your children? Do you want to live within walking distance of local shops? Break down your preferences into what you actually need and what you want and are flexible on. Your knowledge of your finances can also help you understand what you can and cannot afford.

Enjoy the process of looking for at Sherwood homes with us. Checking out different homes and imagining the possibilities can be a very fun and enjoyable experience. Share your needs and preferences with us, and we will do the rest!

The Escrow Experience

Once you find the home you want, we will discuss with you an appropriate offer range, draw up the necessary paperwork, and open escrow. We will arrange for the necessary home inspections and option period, do a title search and coordinate the home buying process with your lender. During this time repairs and changes we specify with the seller will be made to the home. As we prepare to close, you’ll want to get homeowner’s insurance and set up your utilities.

Closing On Your Sherwood Home

When you finally close on your property, you will sign a number of documents with the title company, and show them verification of homeowner’s insurance, certified funds, and additional information. Don’t forget to bring a valid picture ID as well. If you are unable to close in person, there are different options for closing from afar.