La Joie de Vivre starts with living in a place that inspires you every day.  If you are ready to find a new domicile, let’s sit down and dream. Let’s talk about where you want to live and why. Do you want the feel of April in Paris, with sparkling rains among beautiful buildings or a rural home in Giverny or Honfleur like Monet among the haystacks and pastures? There is beauty everywhere, but what kind of beauty and living works for you?

If you are at the time of your life with children in the picture, then perhaps schools are important to you. Or maybe the price and property lines are paramount. Let’s talk about what you really want and need and determine how these fit within your budget.

And now for the details:

Lining up your financing – If you will be getting a mortgage for most or almost all of your home purchase, then getting your loan set up in advance is critical so you are ready to move forward when the right home comes on the market. If you are serious about buying, then this is your first step. Of course, Sotheby’s and I have a list of lenders who do a great job and can help you with your financial needs.

List of “Must Haves” and “Wants” – If we really want to be strategic in the home search, these are two different lists. If you really need a set amount of bedrooms, a functional kitchen, and room for parking in a specific school district, then this is the “need” list. Things like stone countertops and beautiful landscaping are “wants” and can be added later. This will allow for us to have the greatest number of homes to consider, allowing for the greatest chance for success.

Explore – If you aren’t sure what neighborhoods to focus on, I encourage you to take a look! Go for a drive, visit open houses, and do some online exploration to narrow your search.  Once you have narrowed down your options, let’s get in the car and I would love to see the area through your eyes. I will provide you with a market update on each area which includes sales per area, what is listed, recently pending, and what you can expect for buyer demand and multiple offers. In addition, resale value is something that you should be considering, and I will review the sales history to provide you with all the information you need to make an informed decision. With my background in property price analysis, I know what to look for. We will view homes as they are available in each area.

Offer to Purchase – Once you decide to write an offer on a home, I will supply you with all the information I have available on the property. We will work together on a strategy that is in line with your financial needs goals so you are working within your comfort zone. I will advocate strongly on your behalf throughout the negotiation process.

Pending to Close – Once the contract has been accepted by both parties, then comes the cascading deadlines – inspection, financial, appraisal, title review, neighborhood review, and more are all milestones within the transaction that I track and make sure we are on time. Escrow will also be following along and making sure both parties adhere to the letter of the contract.

Note: When I work with a buyer, I am “all in”. That means I am putting forth 100% of my efforts to find and secure the right home for you. To protect your interests and to make sure that I can represent you throughout the transaction, we will both sign a Buyer Agency Agreement that outlines our relationship and our mutual obligations.