Buying a new home is usually the largest financial transaction undertaken by most people. It's an exciting time and like most things in life good preparation ensures a smooth outcome. The most reliable way to find your new home is to work with a qualified REALTOR® who can step you through the purchase process. ERealty Consultants is ready to assist you before, during and after the purchase of your new Home. The following steps will guide you through a smooth process to the entrance of your new Home.

   Before you set out on your Home search you should know the type of house, single family residence, condo, townhouse, etc that you want to live in. Do you want amenities such as a swimming pool or a large yard? Do you prefer a community with an association to oversee standards which protect your home investment? Is an active retirement community or a golf community for you? It's a good idea todraw up a list of your ideal house and community, before you begin the home search.

   Being preapproved for a real estate loan gives home buyers a great advantage over nonapproved buyers. With preapproval, you know exactly how much home you can afford and what price range to search in. Also, buyers who are preapproved have a better negotiating position with home sellers. Even if your offer is lower than another buyer's offer, preapproval means the seller has greater confidence you are a serious buyer and can move forward with an accepted offer.

   The Internet is the best place to start your information search. Today, 74% of home buyers start their search for a home on the Internet. ERealty Consultants offers two avenues for you to search for a home. You can go to ourSearch Assistance page, fill in the information on your Dream Home and we will email you a list of properties that fit your criteria. Then, as new homes that match your specifications come on the market, they will be emailed to you automatically. The second avenue to search for a home is toSearch the Roanoke MLS directly from our website. The Search the Roanoke MLS link will connect you to the Roanoke MLS search engine allowing you to enter multiple variations on the search criteria for properties.

   ERealty Consultants is standing ready to show you your Dream House. You only need to contact us for a showing of any property in the Roanoke MLS or outside of the MLS. We only ask, before we set appointments, that you obtain a preapproval letter from your lender. The preapproval letter shows the seller that not only are you a serious buyer but you are ready and willing to follow through on your offer.

   Once you find your Dream House, the next step is to make an offer. Making an offer is just the first step in the negotiating process. All offers should be in line with the fair market value of the house. Submitting an offer lower than the market value may cause the seller to be insulted and flat out refuse it without a counter offer. Without acceptance or a counter offer, your offer is refused by default.

    An offer to purchase a property is much more than just a price on a contract. You need to stipulate the amount of loan you qualify for, the size of your earnest payment, what closing costs you want the seller to pay, the inspections you want to perform, the time frame you want to close in, any personal property of the seller you want to stay with the house, and contingencies to exit the deal if all does not go well.

   Escrow is the coming together by all parties involved in a Real Estate transaction. Documents are signed, the lender provides the loan money for payment, and the title is transferred to the buyer.
    The Escrow Company is a non-partisan third party intermediary who coordinates the closing and the successful conclusion of the transaction. Once all parties involved have completed their part in the transaction, Escrow closes and possession of the property is transferred to the new owner.
   Congratulations on your new Home purchase!

The Fannie Mae Foundation provides some excellent documents on buying your new home.
   ERealty Consultants is standing ready to assist you in your property search. You cancontact us to start immediately.