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"Welcome to my Pre-Approval Page. By clicking the "Apply Here" button below, my lending partner will quickly get you pre-approved for a loan so we can start shopping for the property of your dreams."
Tina Christensen
Tina M. Christensen - Coldwell Banker Realty
321-514-2165, Tina@TinaMChristensen.com

Apply Right Here >>>

The Home Buying Process Explained

Part of working with a licensed, experienced real estate agent is having someone on your side to help shepherd you through the sometimes confusing home buying process. Our team is with you every step of the way to ensure that nothing slips through the cracks. Let’s take a few minutes to go through the home buying process to ensure that your home buying experience is truly a great one.

Pre-Approval vs Pre-Qualification

A Pre-Qualification isn’t really worth the paper it’s printed on. Most listing agents know this. A Pre-Approval, however, carries a lot of weight. A Pre-Approval differs from a Pre-Qualification in that the lender has received and signed off on such things as your credit and your income documentation. When we go to make offers, we make sure we’re providing the listing agent with a Pre-Approval. We also have our lender call the listing agent to explain that you are actually Pre-Approved and that they’ve signed off on your credit and income. In a competitive bidding situation, it often makes the difference between getting the house and being disappointed. Before we start looking for homes, it is critical that you click the “Apply Here” button above. Our lender will immediately get to work on getting you Pre-Approved and getting you the best deal out there for your situation. 

The Offer

Once we find the property that you fall in love with, my team and I make sure that we are presenting your offer in the very best light to improve your chances of having the winning bid. Having an experienced real estate team makes a huge difference in the negotiation process. Most people hate to buy cars because they hate the negotiation process. We love it! We’re specially trained to take that burden off of you. We know the ropes, the forms required, the regulations involved, and how to get through the process. We take care of everything. It’s what we do. 

Acceptance and Next Steps

Once we have a “meeting of the minds” between buyer and seller, we navigate the complex process of buying a property in Florida. We have relationships with key professionals such as home inspectors, lenders, title agents, and other professionals it takes to make the closing a reality. Once we are under contract, the first thing you will need to do is to provide the licensed title company or title attorney that will be closing the transaction your deposit. You and I will discuss the deposit amount during the negotiation process, but you’ll need to be prepared to wire transfer or deliver your deposit to that closing agent right after we go under contract. 

The Inspection

After your deposit, your second out-of-pocket expense will be your home inspection. The price of a home inspection will normally vary from $300-$550 depending upon the type of property you purchase. I’ll help arrange the inspection shortly after we go under contract as we usually only have about 10 days to perform our inspections. The inspector will look at the appliances, the plumbing, the roof, the electrical system, the air conditioner, and other items in the property. There is no way for an inspector to identify all issues with a home, but the money for an inspection is well-spent if it helps you avoid a major headache. You’ll also be able to add on other inspection services for an additional fee such as a wood destroying organisms report (pest/termite inspection) or a pool inspection. You will typically pay the inspection company directly for the inspection at the time the inspections are ordered. In a few days, we’ll receive a copy of the inspection report(s) and we’ll go over it together. We’ll decide if we need to have the seller correct any issues, provide us a credit to do our own repairs or, if issues are too severe, you might want to walk away from the transaction. We must be sure to get this done within our contractual inspection period. Once we have an agreement for repairs or credit from the seller, we’ll have all parties memorialize that agreement with an addendum to the contract to hold the seller to their promises. Don’t worry…I’m great at this process. I’ll make sure everything is taken care of. 

Get Your Insurance In Order

Before you close on your new property, you will have to make sure that it is insured properly. Your lender will require it! In addition to hazard insurance, you might have to purchase flood insurance as well if your new property is location in a specially designated flood zone. I’ll help you identify flood zones prior to us putting in an offer, but you’ll want to arrange for homeowners and, if needed, flood insurance as soon as possible. Usually, you will want to start on this soon after going under contract. You might also use a wind mitigation report or a special report called a “4-Point” from your inspection as part of the application process. Keep in mind that most insurance companies will not provide you with a commitment to insure the property, known as a “binder”, if there is a tropical storm or hurricane that could threaten Florida. Don’t wait! We want to address this right away so we don’t miss our closing date because we’re waiting for a storm to pass. 

The Appraisal and the Loan Process

The third thing that you will need to pay for prior to going to closing is the appraisal. Legislation was passed a few years ago that require your lender to order your appraisal through an independent, third-party appraisal company. On most homes, the appraisal costs between $500 and $550 and can be paid with a credit card through the appraisal management company. Your lender will explain this in more detail. The appraisal process takes time, so we want to order it right after we’ve performed the inspection and we know we want to move forward with the transaction. If you are not getting a loan, you won’t need an appraisal necessarily, but lenders normally have to have an appraisal performed in order to give you a “Clear to Close.” 

Clear to Close!

Congratulations! Your loan has been approved, but there is more to do. Once we have a loan approval, I’ll work with your lender, the title company, and the seller to schedule a closing date and time. By law, the lender will have to provide you with a “Closing Disclosure” three days prior to closing. They can’t waive that period…it’s the law. Once you receive the Closing Disclosure (sometimes referred to as the CD), you’ll typically e-sign it. You must sign the CD for that three day clock to begin. During that time, I’ll be working with the lender and the title company to ensure that everything will be done correctly for your closing. 

The Closing

The day has finally arrived! We’ll receive a copy of your closing statement prior to closing. I usually like to spend time going over it with my customers prior to closing. Sometimes, everyone is rushing to get things ready and it doesn’t get to us until right before the scheduled closing. Don’t worry. I won’t let a closing continue until we’ve had adequate time to ensure that it’s all correct. Once they have the closing statement completed and correct, the closing agent will directly provide you with wire instructions for you to send the required amount for the closing. Here’s a very important point…listen closely…fraud is rampant. You will always, always, always want to call the title company to go over the wire instructions prior to sending any money! Let me repeat, don’t use the phone number on the instructions that are sent to you. Take the time to look up the number of the title company and call that number to verify that the instructions are correct. We don’t want your money going to crooks. Visit your bank once you have the wire instructions and initiate the wire transfer. Your banker can assist you in this process. We’ll also want to communicate with the closing agent to ensure that your wire transferred arrived. Prior to the closing, you and I will meet at the property and perform a final walk through. I will have a form for you to sign once you’re comfortable that everything is as it should be. We’ll then head to the closing agent’s office together and sign the papers. In some cases, a notary public will come to you and an increasing number of closings are taking place on line. Don’t worry, I’ve got your back. You’ll not miss a thing. 

After the Closing...I'm Always Here to Help!

After all of this is done, the title agent will hand you your keys and copies of your closing documents. Congratulations! You now own the property! Before closing, my team and I will help you with the transition including getting your utilities turned on or transferred. You’ll get a lot of mail with all kinds off offers once the mortgage is filed. If you have any questions about anything, call me. Some of the official-sounding mail you receive will be scams. Once again, I’ve got your back. My job doesn’t end with the closing. Far from it. We consider our clients friends and I’m here to always help. If you have any questions about the process, I want you to ask me about it. I look forward to working with you!

Castle Rock Capital Funding, LLC (NMLS 2318381) is a Florida LLC owned by Douglass Smith, Licensed Mortgage Loan Originator (NMLS 1984040).  

About Us

A family owned company; we’ve been helping residential and commercial clients purchase and refinance property.  Please click on About in the headers to learn more.

Company NMLS: 2318381
www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org

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