Home Buying Process Timeline ##VERIFIED##
Homeownership is a journey that can start well before you ever consider pre-approval. Understanding the timeline for buying a house will help you prepare for the process and eventually buy the home of your dreams.
home buying process timeline
While the inspectors and appraisers are busy with their work, your agent (or in some cases your attorney or loan processor) will order a title search and title insurance. In real estate, a title refers to the legal ownership of the home. A title search is done to ensure that the seller can transfer property ownership to you free and clear. Title issues can arise if there are any outstanding judgments or liens against the current or previous owners for things like unpaid child support or owed taxes. If potential issues are found, then the seller would be responsible for resolving those before the sale can move forward.
Begin searching for homes. Ask the questions that will help set parameters for your home search. Are you looking at homes for sale in Alaska or Florida? Are you set on buying a house in a particular school district or neighborhood? How many bedrooms do you need? Do you want a single-family home or are you open to a townhouse, or maybe even a condo?
Line up a home inspection. This step is critical in the timeline for buying a house as it allows you as the homebuyer to discover any material defects or necessary repairs before purchasing the home. Pay special attention to the results of the inspection because many states hold a buyer responsible for understanding and investigating issues raised during inspections. Also, if there is an inspection contingency, you can negotiate with sellers to cover the costs of certain repairs, ask for concessions, or back out of the sale.
How much money you should save before buying a home depends on how much of a downpayment you might need to buy a house. If a home you want to purchase costs, say, $200,000, you might need a 20% downpayment, which would be $40,000, for example.
Your Realtor will provide expertise on market trends, property conditions, and many other aspects of real estate transactions. Your Realtor will show you comparable homes for sale, track sales prices in your desired neighborhood, and will offer insight into the home buying process.
If you are considering purchasing a distressed home, such as a short sale, a bank-owned property, or a foreclosure, be advised that these transactions can often be lengthy, as a third party must approve the sale. Additionally, these homes are frequently sold "as is" and may need repairs. Learn more about buying a distressed property.
The financing timeline will vary depending on your lender, how quickly the appraisal is turned around, and the complexity of your situation. Last year, mortgage data firm Ellie Mae reported that 51 days is the average time to close on a home purchase. To avoid delays, have your financial documents ready. Here are some of the items you should be prepared to submit to your lender:
It's important to have an understanding of this timeline so you know what to expect and what you can do to keep your purchase on track. If this seems like a lot to remember, don't worry! Your Realtor will help make sure that deadlines are met. As long as you follow their instructions and have clear communication with your lender, the process will be a lot less daunting. Now, get out there and get under contract!
Home inspection: Now is the time to have a professional inspect the house. This is the time to ensure you know what you are signing up for in terms of repairs or potential remodeling costs. Visit our blog to deep dive the home inspection process and how to find an inspector.
Homes generally need to be in good shape. The VA appraisal process includes a look at the home in light of some general property condition requirements, known as the Minimum Property Requirements (MPRs). MPRs are a high-level overview and not as in-depth as a home inspection. The VA doesn't require a home inspection, but home inspections are almost always a sound investment.
The VA loan process jump-starts once you're under contract. Your loan team sends your contract and documentation to loan processors and underwriters who set out to verify the loan and the home work for the borrower, lender and the VA.
A good understanding of the VA loan process will help you get the most from your budget and this incredibly powerful benefit. Talk with a Veterans United loan specialist to kickstart your homebuying journey.
You may also want to think about whether or not you plan on buying new furniture when you move into your home. You might have furniture that will move with you. Or, you might be starting from scratch.
The timeline for buying a house can be confusing, especially for first-time homebuyers. With all the steps involved, it can be hard to know what needs to be done and when. As a whole, you can expect the process to take several months, but this can vary depending on how long it takes you to shop for a home and whether you are buying a new construction or a resale home.
It can be a good idea to obtain pre-approval for a mortgage before you find your new home. Mortgage pre-approval provides assurance to sellers that you will be able to afford a home and can make the timeline for closing on a house go faster.
One of the most important steps of the closing process is obtaining final approval for your mortgage. This usually takes around 30 days. During this time, the lender will send someone to your new home to perform an appraisal. This is done to determine the value of your home and ensure that the lender is offering you an appropriate amount for your loan.
Once you have ensured your credit is ready to start the home loan process, you will typically begin by working with a loan officer at a bank or mortgage provider to get pre-approved for a mortgage. Your loan officer will help you understand the required documents you need during the mortgage process. Your loan officer will help you complete a mortgage pre-qualification application and then submit the application along with the required documents, to an underwriter.
Before you get too excited about the prospect of a new home, you must ensure you're pre-approved for a mortgage. Reach out to at least three mortgage lenders for pre-approval quotes. You want to explore your options because different lenders will offer you different rates. The initial process is free, so you don't have to worry about any costs at this stage.
Once you have your pre-approval letter in hand, you can start searching for a real estate agent to guide you through the rest of the home-buying process. You can find one by googling agents near you, or by taking references from friends, family, and even your mortgage lender. Depending on how hard you want to vet your potential partner in house searching, this could take up to a week or longer.
House searching is one of the most exhilarating but exhausting parts of home-buying. This is when you'll be driving from place to place and touring homes. You aren't required to visit houses in person, but buying agents highly recommend it to get a feel for the area and the home itself. Your agent will do most of the searching and inform you of potential homes as they find them, but you can continue to do your own searching too.
If the buyer accepts your offer, you can move on to the next step and begin the closing process. Both you and the home seller face evaluations at this time. A loan processor investigates your application and approves whether or not you can buy the home, while a title company checks that the home seller has the right to transfer ownership of the said home to you.
While you're waiting on the loan processor and title company, hire a home inspector to do one final look around the interior and exterior of the property. Their completed report should include safety concerns and other major and minor issues that may give you room to negotiate the price of the house.
The final step in the home-buying process is the official closing, which takes hours to complete. You'll be expected to pay your down payment and all closing costs, as detailed in a Closing Disclosure form. The closing costs, which include inspection fees, real estate agent costs, and taxes, range from $2,000 to $12,000, depending on your state of residence, as per Rocket Mortgage. To ensure all payments and signings go through without any hiccups, Better Money Habits recommends preserving your finances and keeping your credit score stagnant. Making a large investment, especially one that takes out a loan, can complicate your current financial status and disrupt the process.
It is super important for any real estate investor to be familiar with the process of closing the sale of a property. Whether you are buying a single-family home or multifamily property, you need to understand and navigate the process of closing on that property.
Whether you are buying a house for the first time, or the fifth, you want to know how long it will take. It is super important for any real estate investor to be familiar with the process of closing the sale of a property. Whether you are buying a single-family home or multifamily property, you need to understand and navigate the process of closing on that property. 041b061a72