Your offer on that new house was just accepted and you are filled with excitement and anticipation for the big move. How do you make sure that your closing happens on time?
Before You Make An Offer:
First, make sure you choose the right lender. According to a National Association of REALTORS survey, 32% of delayed closings are due to financing related issues. It is extremely frustrating for everyone when a closing has to be delayed because a lender is not prepared and cannot get the necessary documentation together in a timely fashion. The Carpenter | Kessel team has overseen thousands of real estate transactions over the years and has worked with numerous lenders, both local and national. We are more than happy to recommend a few of our trusted lenders….the lenders that go above and beyond to serve our clients.
Second, make sure your personal finances are in order. Ideally, you did this well before you made an offer on a home. If you haven’t however, know that a loan application will uncover that unpaid credit card bill from ten years ago or that time you forgot to make your car payment. Be honest and straightforward with your lender. If you know about something on your credit report that may negatively effect your credit rating, let the lender know and they will likely be able to help you resolve that issue. Again, the key here is to make sure your finances and credit are strong BEFORE you make an offer. In fact, a real estate agent should not put an offer on a home unless their client has been at least pre-qualified for a loan. A pre-approval is even better as it provides you with a more exact loan amount and indicates to the seller that you are committed to buying.
After The Offer Is Accepted:
First, keep yourself organized and maintain communication with your agent. There will be a lot of moving parts between offer acceptance and your closing. You will likely need to schedule a survey, a home inspection and a final walk through as well as obtaining flood certifications and homeowners insurance all while finalizing your loan commitment. Your contract should detail when these items need to be completed so I would suggest adding them to your digital calendar and making sure you get frequent reminders of these upcoming events. If you have questions or incur roadblocks along the way, inform your agent immediately. When you work with the Carpenter | Kessel team, you get a personal transaction coordinator that guides you throughout the process and is there to ensure all tasks are completed on schedule. Our goal is to make the process easy and seamless for our clients.
Second, do not get overwhelmed by the inspection report. There is no such thing as a perfect house and a good inspector can find issues with any home. Most of the time, a majority of these issues are minor in nature and can be fixed very easily and at little cost. If the inspection turns up something that does concern you, contact your agent right away to discuss how to address the issue with the seller. The Carpenter | Kessel team is your advocate and we are skilled at negotiating resolutions that are beneficial to all parties.
Finally, who you work with matters. Your Carpenter | Kessel agent is supported by a team of experienced professionals working together to deliver a truly memorable experience to each and every one of our valuable clients. The culture within our team is to collaborate and work together on behalf of our clients, not compete with each other to make the next sale. This culture is what sets us apart from all other real estate agents. Your home is likely your biggest investment. It doesn’t cost more to work with the best, so why risk the investment?
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Brent Burns is a REALTOR® with the Carpenter | Kessel Team. Brent serves clients in Indialantic, Melbourne Beach, Indian Harbour Beach, Satellite Beach and surrounding communities.