Robin Joy Savage is retired now and living the good life.
La Joie de Vivre starts with living in a place that inspires you every day. 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.
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.
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.
Explore – If you aren’t sure what neighborhoods to focus on, go and take a look! Go for a drive, visit open houses, and do some online exploration to narrow your search. In addition, resale value is something that you should be considering.
Offer to Purchase – Once you decide to write an offer on a home, your real estate agent will supply you with all the information they have available on the property. They will work together on a strategy that is in line with your financial needs goals so you are working within your comfort zone. They 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 your real estate agent can track and make sure you are on time. Escrow will also be following along and making sure both parties adhere to the letter of the contract.