Are you shopping for a piece of real estate? The process of purchasing real estate can be confusing if you don’t know what to expect. The Johnson Team Real Estate is here to help you understand the process of purchasing a home or property, guide you through the transaction and offer answers to any questions you may have. Below is our explanation of how the process works.

Laying the Groundwork
The first step in the process is to define the property you want to buy. We do this by asking a lot of questions and really listening to your answers. We want to know about you and your family, right down to the number of pets that you have. We are solution providers and know how you live and what you like to do will help you find the perfect property even more than knowing how many bedrooms and baths you need.

Part of this process will include a meeting with a lender. Not only will this give you an introduction to types of loan programs available and confirm the price range in which we will be looking, but it may give us the guidance in how to structure an offer for maximum benefit to you. If you are not yet financially quite ready to buy, it will enable us to do some planning to get you qualifies for a purchase as soon as possible.

The Search
Next, we will run a computer printout of all properties that fit your general parameters and eliminate those which are inappropriate. Looking through the newspaper and real estate magazine ads is entertaining, but they usually provide too little information and are often out of date. By focusing on a complete and up-to-date listings database, we can always provide you with the most current information.

The next steps will vary depending upon your time frame to purchase and the way you prefer to work. We have several buyer assistance options, all of which are designed to keep you up-to-date on the market. If you are ready to buy, you want to be the first to know about the new listings and changes to existing ones. It you won’t be ready to buy for 6 months you don’t need us calling you every day, but you do need to keep track of the market. We have systems set up that put us where you need us. Remember that as your agent we will represent you in the purchase of properties that are currently for sale by owner as well as those listed by any agents in our comprehensive listings database.

The Offer
Once you have chose your property, we will develop a strategy and write the offer. Our negotiating stance focuses on the offer as a total package, not just the price, since we have learned that an offer becomes a completed purchase only when it meets that needs of both buyer and seller.

If you are curious what is currently listed for sale on the Bellingham and Whatcom County Real Estate Market be sure to check out our property search on our website. We would be happy to help you find the piece of property or home you have always dreamed of!