Buying a home is easier than you may think! Our trained professionals will work with you from the first meeting all the way to holding the keys of your new home. We can explain the whole process so you are comfortable and confident all the way home.  Use this guide to help you get started.

Getting Prepared

Pre-Approval
Getting pre-approved before you start house hunting can help you select a home that is priced to meet you budget. Pre-approval offers a number of advantages over waiting to apply for a mortgage until after you've found a home. The advantages include:

1. Shopping for a home with confidence because you know exactly how much you can afford
2. Sellers prefer pre-approved buyers
3. Early in the home buying process you can identify any possible qualification problems.

Research
House hunting can be exciting and fun, but to find the right home for you, homework may be necessary!  Most real estate listing (MLS or Multiple Listing Service) are now available online though real estate services or real estate companies’ websites. This service makes it much more convenient to view homes in your price range and homes that meet your specifications.  Other online tools are also available to help with the research on school districts and neighborhood data.

House Hunting

Seek an experienced REALTOR
One of the most important parts of the home buying process is finding the right home for you and your family. After all, you will probably be living there for years to come, so it should be a place where you will be happy.  Although, you can find volumes of information on the internet it’s probably a good idea to talk with an experienced Realtor who can focus on your best interests and give you professional advice.  Working with a real estate professional can help you to maximize both your time and purchasing power.  Realtors may be able to provide you with additional information that is unavailable on the web.

Make the Offer
When you find that perfect home it’s time to make an offer! Your Realtor can assist you with making the offer by providing you with recent sales data from similar homes.  An experienced Realtor will assist you in making the best offer based on research of what homes are selling for in the immediate area, their knowledge of the neighborhood, and the home in comparison to other recent sales.

Home Inspection
To help you make a more informed pre-purchase decision, you may want to consider hiring a licensed home inspector. Your soon-to-be home may look great from the inside, but there may be unseen problems.   Your REALTOR should have a list of licensed home inspectors in your area.

Qualifying

Select the right mortgage for you
How long are you planning to live in this home 3,5,20 years, from now until retirement? This factor will help determine what mortgage is right for you.  An adjustable rate mortgage might be a better choice if you expect to live in the house for a short period of time.  If you’re more comfortable knowing your monthly principal and interest portion of the payment will remain the same for the life of the loan, a fixed-rate mortgage might be best! First Flight’s mortgage specialists are here to help you make the right decision to fit your lifestyle. View all of First Flight’s Mortgage Loans here (link to Mortgage offerings)

Closing

You have made it to the final phase of your home buying and mortgage process.
Ownership of the property will be transferred from the seller to you, on the day of closing.  All necessary documents will be signed including: your agreement to repay the money you have borrowed, your rights to the property you have purchased, and the lender's right to the property if you default on the loan. An attorney of your choice will coordinate and distribute all the paperwork and funds, according to the terms agreed upon by the seller and yourself.  After all paperwork has been signed and the closing has been recorded, you’re a homeowner! Congratulations!