1. Meet & Greet - Meet with your agent and discuss a game plan on proceeding with your buying process. Discuss the buyer's representation agreement and ask questions.

2. Contact Mortgage Broker/Lender - Find a lender with whom you are comfortable (your agent may have a few they recommend). This is a very important step to help you decide how much you can afford to spend on a home. You also want to be pre-approved before searching for your new home.

3. Surmising your wants and needs - What type of a house do you want? How many bedrooms/baths? What do you like about your current home? What would you like to add?

4. Locations - In what neighborhoods would you like to live? Do you want to stay close to where you are currently or explore new neighborhoods?

5. Time to look - The searching begins. Your agent should preview several properties that meet your criteria and then schedule times for you to view them. An alternative is to have your agent email newly listed properties as they come on the market, then preview and show them to you according to your preference.

6. Finding the home - Once you find the home you would like to buy, your agent will sit down with you and write up a strong Purchase and Sale offer. Your agent will then present your offer to the seller in person.

• Negotiation process begins here. Your agent will work to get the best terms and conditions for you.
• Earnest Money - usually a monetary deposit made at the time the offer is presented to show that you are serious about purchasing the home. The money goes toward your closing costs and down payment. A rule of thumb for amount is about 2% of the sales price of the home.

7. Inspection - Once your offer and terms are in agreement with the seller, an inspector will come out and inspect the home. A structural inspection is not required but recommended! Sometime this can occur before the offer has been made if the home is in a competitive neighborhood.

• It's recommended that all parties buying the home be present for the inspection. If not all parties can be there, at least one of the buyers should be present.
• Your agent should also be there for the inspection.
• The inspection takes between 2-4 hours and can cost between $200 to $400 depending on size and house condition.

8. Appraisal - Once all parties are satisfied with the inspection and the terms of the offer have been accepted, the lender schedules an appraisal to qualify the sales price.

9. Escrow - After the appraisal is finished and the lender satisfied, all paperwork goes to escrow. Escrow operates as an impartial third party who handles the signing of all documents, disbursement of funds, and recording of records with the county for both buyer and seller.

10. Signing - signing off on the sale of the property & loan occurs several days before closing at the escrow office. This takes about an hour to get everything signed.

11. Closing & Possession - Closing happens on the date agreed upon in the purchase and sale agreement. Ownership is transferred from the seller to you and the new information is recorded with the county. Possession can also occur on the same date as closing or an agreed upon date between you and the seller.