Initial Steps to Buying a Home in Colorado

Buying a home can be an incredible and confusing time. Trust us to show you the way. There are several phases to the home buying process where we can be of help.

1. Pre Approval

If you know that you will be financing, contact a lender. It is important to know what you can afford so we can search for the right property within your price range. Your lender will provide you with a pre-approval letter that will outline our options and guide us to making your strongest offer. Be sure to check your credit score! Find ways to boost your score here.

Remember to consider your personal situation when applying for a loan. You may qualify for grants or certain loan-assistance programs.

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Our team can offer several reputable lenders who will deliver your paperwork on time for closing.

2. Defining What You Want.

There are so many options! Narrow down your list of what is important to you before beginning your search.

Elements to consider:

Style of Housing: Single Family, Townhome, Condo, Acreage, Mountain Cabin, Hunting Property, Ranch

Age & Condition of Property: New, Recent construction (10 years), Average (20 years), Older home or fixer upper.

Square Footage: Greater than 1500, Greater than 2000, Greater than 3000, or more.

School System: Is it important to stay in one system or near a particular school.

Kitchen: Is gas cooking or electric important? Granite counters, stainless steel appliances? Center island?

Living Areas: Do you need a game room, formal living, or an area for a home office or study?

Bedrooms: How many? Many options exist such as bedrooms grouped together, secondary bedrooms split from the master, all bedrooms on the second floor, all bedrooms on the first floor, etc.

Bathroom features: Bathroom features can include garden tubs, jetted hot tubs, separate showers, jack & jill baths, and more.

Flooring Features: Carpet, vinyl ceramic tile, laminate floors, wood floors and stained concrete.

Home Owners Association: Many newer neighborhoods are in HOA's which include monthly or annual fees which pay for the common areas, community features and organizational management. HOA's often have tighter restrictions on property maintenance and upkeep. Consider this when buying a property in an HOA.

Once your list is defined, our realtor can create a specific live MLS search based off of your specific criteria.

3. Making An Offer

So you’ve found the perfect spot/ It’s time to make an offer! We’ll want to consider several factors before suggesting a figure.

Price: It is important to offer a price that is fair. We will take into consideration comparable properties in the neighborhood, condition of the property, length of time the property has been on the market, and sometimes the reason the seller is moving. We will need to define how much of the purchase price will be cash and how much will be financed.

Length of Contract: Typical length is 30 days but we can consider a faster or longer closing period.

Earnest Money: Earnest money is put down before closing on a home to show you’re serious about purchasing. It will be deposited with the Title Company once the contract is executed. Amounts can vary depending on the conditions of the contract. We will discuss this to find an appropriate amount.

Condition of Property: During the option period, inspections will be made on the property to give you details on its condition.

Length of Option Period: The option period is a predetermined time during which the buyer can leave the contract for any reason. Typically the option period is between 5 to 10 days. During this time the buyer can have an inspection of the property done, repairs can be negotiated with the seller and a decision can be made about leaving the contract or staying in the contract and proceeding to closing. If the buyer leaves the contract during the option period, the earnest money is refunded to the buyer. If the buyer decides to stay in the contact, then the earnest money is retained by the title company, and the earnest money & option fee are usually credited to the buyer at closing.

4. Closing

Closing day is a big day! A buyer’s closing will normally take about an hour. The Title company will handle the transfer of the property to the buyer and the money to the seller. The Title Company and Mortgage company will work together to get final documents for signatures. They will thoroughly inspect the documents for any issues. When the buyer and seller both sign, the Title Company will send the final drafts to the Mortgage Company who then releases the funds to the Title Company for disbursement. The Title Company will then issue a check the to seller and keys to the buyer. Enjoy your new home!

For more information, details and/or recommendations on purchasing a home in Colorado, Contact one of our local agents today.

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