The first step to a real estate purchase is talking with a mortgage lender or your bank. Have them run your credit and talk with you about your buying price range, closing costs, and confirming income.

Three steps in financing:
1. Pre-Approval for making an offer
2. Approval of you and the property prior to closing
3. Clear to close when loan documents are released for closing

If you are paying cash for the property you will not need to speak with a lender, but you will need a statement from your bank showing proof of funds for your future home purchase.

Excellent Local Austin Lenders

Meeting with your Realtor is a critical step in your home buying purchase. Many people work with a Realtor that might also be a family member or a close friend. It is important to sit down with your agent to have a conversation about your goals, objectives and timeframe to buy a home. By having that focused conversation, you will prepare a plan that meets your timeline to be in a new home and talks through your specific needs and wishes to efficiently find and purchase the right property for you.

1. After our consultation I will send you a personal search site that emails you daily updates of properties that meet your needs.
2. I will send my top recommended homes from your search
3. You will pick your top properties to drive by and we will schedule a time to see the interior of your Top 6 homes. Plan for about 3 hours of viewing properties.
4. We will repeat Step 3 as needed till we find you the right home.

We will meet virtually or in person to walk through the Texas purchase contract. This is the critical point, as the right offer makes the difference between you moving forward with a home purchase verses continue looking.

As a Certified Negotiation Expert and Accredited Buyer Rep with numerous buyers closed, I have been through hundreds of contract negotiations. My expertise helps you negotiation tough on the items of high importance to you, example closing date and price, but also allows us to figure out what is important to the seller and find the middle ground that works for both parties. There are different types of negotiation and we will establish at our contract meeting what tactic you want to take to write the offer and present it to the seller’s agent.

We have succeeded and you are now under contract. The next steps are critical to determine if the property we have contracted on is in the condition you believed it to be at the time of your accepted offer.

As a future home owner, the best practice is to hire a TREC licensed Home Inspector to go over the home with a fine-tooth comb. Based on the inspection findings we will either move forward with no further negotiations or prepare a repair request to continue the negotiations with the seller.

My practice is to present any repair request with factual information.  Broken or unsafe systems in the home will often yield a credit from the seller at closing, or a repair of the issue prior to closing.  Cosmetic conditions/repairs are rarely agreed to by sellers in the Austin and surrounding markets.

I work with my clients to provide bids from licensed professionals for any repair item. We talk through the difference between items that are in need of repair or unsafe verses items that fall into the cosmetic category, and viewed as an improvement to a seller.

As with the initial offer, the seller and buyer can either 1. Reach an agreement on the repairs 2. Move forward with no repairs addressed 3. The buyer, and only the buyer has the right to terminate the contract during the option period based on inspection findings and/or a seller’s response to a repair request.

In some cases a buyer and seller will decide that a price reduction to the contract verses completion of repairs is best. That will be case by case and depends on the type of repairs that are needed.

Excellent Austin Tx & Surrounding Area Inspectors

We have made it through the option period and you are moving forward with the purchase. Next step is to start focusing on your loan. Your lender will send you a request for specific information they will need to approve your loan. One piece of this is to order an appraisal. No one is able to choose the appraiser, but each lender has a pool of appraisers they have chosen to work with. Most buyers wait till after they are done with any repair negations before ordering their appraisal. The appraisal of the property must be at or over contract price for a lender to accept it.

Once you have all your documents in to your lender, a copy of the appraisal, and a survey (a new survey or an old survey both are options to use), you will be given Loan Approval.

While this sounds like the final step, from here your loan goes to the underwriting department where a final check is made that all the documents are there and the investor loaning the money has everything they require. Be prepared for one or two last minute item request, but ideally this step is just a double check of your qualification to be approved for the loan program you choose. Once the underwriter approves you this is called Clear to Close and you are finally approved for a loan.

The title company is the escrow officer of the transaction.  All funds will be deposited and paid out through the title company.  The Title Company also provides a home buyer their own title policy showing a clean and clear title.  This document provides you insurance that you own the property after closing and funding.

The title company will be sending you certain documents during your contract period.  These include your title commitment, HOA  (Home Owner’s Association) documents, if required, and accepted survey. The title company and your Realtor are resources for you to ask questions about these documents and also help you find out more information, if needed.

You’ve made it.  It is time to finally buy a home.  Closing takes place at the title company and they act as the notary for the signed documents.  It will take around an hour for you to sign your loan paperwork and closing documents.  If you work with an in-town lender, they will usually attend your closing to answer any last minute loan questions.  Your Realtor should also be present to help facilitate the end of the transaction.

Once you and the seller(s) sign all the documents and your lender has sent your loan funds to the title company you have FUNDED.  This is when you will be able to take the keys to the house and go open your very own front door and walk into your new home.

Utility Providers in & around Austin TX

Austin Energy – 512-494-9400
Austin Energy is a utility service provided by the City of Austin along with drainage, solid waste, street service, wastewater, and water. All City utilities are included a single monthly bill.

Texas Gas Service – 800-700-2443

Atmos Energy – 1-800-460-3030

Pedernales Electric – 888-554-4732

Georgetown Utilities – 512-930-3640 (customer care)

Round Rock Water (Utility Billing) – 855-894-2392

Round Rock New Residents

Cedar Park Water Utility 

Cedar Park Utilities FAQ

Moving Reminders & Links

Forward your mail online! Click here

Register to vote in your new county!

Updated your TX drivers license online or in person.

Final suggestions:

If you are planning to do any remodeling, ideal would be to do it pre-move.  If you are planning to DIY the work it is easier to work in a vacant space.  If you decide to hire contractors, they may charge less to work in vacant properties.

Re-key your home.  You never know who the past owner gave a key to and you don’t want any unexpected visitors, and this is often covered in your home warranty coverage policy.

If a mail key was not provided at closing, you can present your closing disclosure and drivers license at your local USPS office and have the mail box re-keyed.

Enjoy your new home!