Buying Checklist

Meet with a Beyond Homes Realtor® for your initial consultation to discuss your wants and needs and a plan of action

Choose a mortgage specialist (You may consult your Beyond Homes Realtor® for recommendations)

Fill out a loan application and submit your financial paperwork (You may meet with the mortgage specialist to discuss the whole pre-approval process.)

Get the pre-approval letter from your mortgage specialist after she or he has submitted your loan package for review and give a copy to your Beyond Homes Realtor®

Bring a notepad, pen, and a clipboard to take notes on. Write what you like and don’t like about each house to help you remember key features of each home. By sharing your notes with your Beyond Homes Realtor®, he or she will have a better understanding of your likes and dislikes at the end of the day

Wear comfortable shoes that slip on and off easily. Many homeowners will ask you to take your shoes off when viewing their homes

Bring your checkbook with you. You will need this handy for your earnest money deposit

If you haven’t already given the earnest money check to your Beyond Homes Realtor®, you must do this immediately. Beyond Homes will give this to the escrow company to hold until close of escrow. Then the deposit will be given along with the rest of the proceeds from the sale to the seller

Contact your mortgage specialist to make sure that he or she has everything needed for an up-to-date loan package. He’ll submit this to the underwriter

Determine which inspections you would like to order for the property. Your Beyond Homes Realtor® will coordinate the inspections

Attend all inspections of the property, if possible

Call your insurance agent to obtain hazard insurance for the property (If the property is part of a common interest development, you may not need hazard insurance if it is already covered by the homeowners’ association.) You will need to provide the policy information to the lender and the escrow agent

Review the seller’s disclosures with your Beyond Homes Realtor®

Review all written inspection reports with your Beyond Homes Realtor®

Request repairs, if applicable

Remove contingencies according to the timelines in the contract

Give an additional deposit to your Beyond Homes Realtor®, if applicable

Decide how you will take title to the property- you may want to refer to your tax advisor (You will want to make a decision before your sign-off at the escrow company. Real estate agents cannot legally give advice with regards to this matter)

Call up all utilities- water, garbage, gas and electric, telephone, cable, etc. and make sure that everything is transferred over to you as of the close of escrow date.

Sign-off on all papers at the title company (This will happen usually within a week of close of escrow. Typically the sign-off isn’t scheduled until the escrow company receives the loan documents from the lender)

You’ll have a final walk-through during the last week of escrow to verify property condition and completion of any repairs, if requested. This will be scheduled with your Beyond Homes Realtor®

Deposit the rest of your down payment and closing costs with the escrow company. Escrow holders usually prefer a certified check or money order, or you may wire the funds from your banking institution to the escrow holder’s account.

Receive notification from your Beyond Homes Realtor® that the purchase has officially recorded, and the house is yours!