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Home Buyers
Start Your Home Buying Journey
Review the Checklist Below
1. Determine Your Why
When deciding to buy a home in the Northern Colorado area which includes the growing cities of Fort Collins, Greeley, Loveland, Windsor, Berthoud, Johnstown and surrounding areas it is important to determine your why.
Are you relocating to Colorado and looking to buy a home? Are you a first time homebuyer that is looking to stop paying your landlord’s mortgage and start gaining equity in your own home? Have you outgrown your home and are looking for more space?
Whatever your reasons may be, it is important to share your goals with your Northern Colorado Realtor® so they can support you and help you find your dream home in Northern Colorado.
2. Talk With A Lender
Speaking with a lender before beginning your Northern Colorado home search is highly recommended. Colorado is becoming an increasingly popular place to live and Northern Colorado has experienced tremendous growth over the last decade. With increased interest in Northern Colorado, buyers looking to purchase a home in Northern Colorado should know what they can qualify for, making the home search more productive and enjoyable.
As your Northern Colorado real estate agent, I will never pressure you into a home that you can’t afford and will set up a tailored home search so that we can find you the perfect home for you, one that meets your needs, wants and your budget.
Before beginning your Northern Colorado home search I recommend obtaining a pre-qualification letter as it improves the strength of an offer should you find the right home and having a prequalification letter can indicate to the seller that you are serious about purchasing the home. Without a prequalification letter, most sellers will not even consider your offer, which may mean you could lose the home to another buyer.
3. Start Your Home Search
Now it’s time for the exciting part, starting your Northern Colorado home search. As your Northern Colorado Realtor® I will work diligently to send you the most up to date listings. As a licensed Colorado real estate broker and Coldwell Banker Residential Realty affiliate, I have access to the most relevant and modern real estate tools to ensure I have the most recent listings and information to share with my clients. As a member of IRES, I can set up specially tailored searches that are specific to you and your home buying goals.
In addition to modern tools I have a network of over 200 agents that share their most recent home listings and can keep me abreast to the newest market listings that I can then share with you as a buyer. Although I can send you listings multiple times a day, weekly, or monthly depending on your home buying timeline, you can also begin your Northern Colorado home buying search via this link: search for Northern Colorado Homes now.
4. You Found A Home, Time To Write An Offer
You have found the Northern Colorado home for you and it’s time to pull out the preapproval letter and make an offer. As your Northern Colorado Realtor®, I will act as your guide through the offer writing process. A few things we will review include other similar properties that are up for sale or recently sold, the general condition of the property, and market conditions that may affect an offer price and our negotiation strategy.
The closing date, any financial contingencies, inspection reports and concessions will be additional variables to discuss when writing an offer. Once you have reviewed and agreed upon the offer, we will deliver the offer to the seller and await a response.
In the Northern Colorado real estate market it is common to hear back from a seller within one day unless it is expressed in the listing that all offers will be reviewed on a specified date.
5. Offer Accepted, Time for Due Diligence
Great news, your home buying offer has been accepted! Now that the seller has accepted your offer, we will need to promptly deposit earnest money into an escrow account which begins the due diligence process.
I will work with you to hire inspectors, review the title history, survey, neighborhood covenants and deed restrictions. Homeowners insurance quotes should also be obtained at this time. Once the inspections are complete we will evaluate these reports with you and determine whether repair bids from contractors and repair concessions from the Seller should be pursued. If the condition of the property terms of the contract are acceptable to you we will proceed to closing!
6. The Closing
In a typical 30-40 day escrow period you will close about 2 weeks after the due diligence and inspection process has been completed.
There are a few items to complete in advance of your closing date. This includes scheduling utility transfers, booking the movers, and collecting moving boxes. You can print the checklist of things to do prior to closing here.
While you are preparing for the big day I will monitor the process of loan underwriting to ensure final loan approval is obtained on time. On the day of closing we will perform a final walkthrough of the home to ensure the condition of the property is acceptable in concurrence with the terms laid out in the contract.
Lastly, you will be presented with a very large stack of papers to sign at the closing table but don’t worry, we’ll review the final settlement figures and the escrow officer will explain each document before you sign.
After all documents are signed, the funds have transferred, and you have had a nice hand stretch you’re officially a Northern Colorado homeowner!
Our 6 Steps to Home-Buying Guide
Get Your Free Buyer's Guide Today!
Buying a home can be an exciting but daunting experience. That's why we've created a comprehensive buyer's guide to help you navigate the process with ease. Whether you're a first-time buyer or a seasoned pro, our guide is packed with valuable information that will help you make informed decisions every step of the way.
To get your free copy of our buyer's guide, simply fill out the form below. Once you submit your information, we'll send the guide straight to your email inbox. It's that easy!
If you are looking to purchase a home in Northern Colorado please reach out. I am happy to schedule a no pressure consultation in person, over video conference, or the phone to discuss your home buying goals.
Give me a call or text, 970-567-9968. I look forward to working with you and helping you find your dream home in Northern Colorado.
Why work with Stephanie Zambo?
01
Pricing Strategist Advisor (PSA)
As a certified Pricing Strategist Advisor I have enhanced skills in providing Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) which is helpful to both buyers and sellers.
As a buyer you will know if an offer is appropriate for the home and can alleviate concerns related to obtaining a mortgage on a home that appraised below the offer price.
As a seller, listing your home at the fair market value will help your home sell in a reasonable amount of time and ensure that you aren’t asking too little or too much for your home.
02
REALTOR®
Did you know there is a difference between a Realtor® and a real estate agent? Not all real estate agents are Realtors®.
The word Realtor® is a trademark referring to someone who is an active member of the National Association of Realtors® (NAR) in the United States and takes an oath to uphold a high ethical standard.
I am a proud to be a Realtor® and a member of the Fort Collins Board of Realtors®, Colorado Board of Realtors®, and the National Board of Realtors®.
03
My Extensive Network
As an affiliate with Coldwell Banker Residential Realty I have access to hundreds of agents throughout Colorado. That means the moment you list a home for sale, I share the listing instantaneously with the other Coldwell Banker agents who can then share it with their personal network of buyers.
As a buyer, if you are needing a home with very specific features, I can utilize the same network to help find that niche property you have been dreaming of.
04
Colorado Native
As a Colorado native and a resident of Northern Colorado for over 10 years, I have the area knowledge to help you make an informed home buying or selling decision.
I have watched as Colorado has experienced tremendous growth in popularity especially across the Northern Front Range. Colorado is an incredible place to live and a big reason why I help my clients get to call Colorado their home.
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