Buying guide
Buying your first home, step by step.
Most of my clients are buying for the first time. This page covers the whole path, the real costs, and the one form everyone asks about.
The five steps
From first call to keys takes 60 to 90 days for most of my buyers. Accepted offer to keys averages 34 days.
Talk it through
A free 20-minute call. We cover your budget, your timeline, the areas you like, and the costs nobody mentions: inspection, appraisal and closing costs.
Get pre-approved
I introduce three local lenders. Each gives you a written estimate. Compare the rate, the fees and the cash you need to close, then pick one.
Sign a buyer agreement
Since August 2024, buyers sign a written agreement with their agent before touring homes. It states what I do for you and how I'm paid. I go through it with you line by line, and you get a copy before you sign.
Tour homes and make an offer
We tour on evenings and weekends, and I point out the expensive things early: roof age, HVAC age and water in the crawl space. When you find the one, I pull recent sales, call the listing agent, and write an offer that competes without overpaying. In North Carolina you also pay the seller a due diligence fee. I explain how much and when you might lose it.
Inspect, appraise and close
I schedule the inspection, help you ask for repairs or credits, track the appraisal and loan deadlines, and walk the house with you before closing.
Payment calculator
Change any number. The estimate updates as you type.
Estimated monthly payment
$2,878/mo
- Principal and interest$2,312
- Property tax$289
- Home insurance$125
- Mortgage insurance$152
- HOA$0
- Loan amount
- $365,750
- Cash to close, about
- $30,800
Estimates only. The rate is an example, not a quote. Mortgage insurance is estimated at 0.5% of the loan per year when you put down less than 20%. Cash to close adds about 3% of the price for closing costs. Your lender gives you the real numbers.
Questions first-time buyers ask me
How much do I need for a down payment?
Some loan programs start at 3 to 3.5 percent down. Many of my buyers put down 5 percent. Twenty percent removes mortgage insurance, but it is not required to buy.
What does it cost to work with you?
My fee is written in the buyer agreement before we tour. In many sales the seller pays part or all of it. I show you the numbers for each home before you offer.
What is a due diligence fee?
In North Carolina, buyers pay the seller a negotiated fee when the contract is signed. It buys you time to inspect and get your loan. I explain when you keep it, when you lose it, and how it fits your budget.
Should I wait for rates to drop?
Nobody knows when rates move. I show you the payment at today's rate and what refinancing later would save, then you decide.
Book a free 20-minute call
Tell me a little about what you want. I reply within two hours to set a time that works for you.
- No obligation and no paperwork on the first call
- Phone or video, evenings and Saturdays included
- You leave with a budget range and a next step