Oh goodie, a buyer! lol Well your first step is to locate several lenders in your area, and have them go over their loan programs. Select the one that you feel has the best program based on your finanical situation. Go ahead and have them start the loan application process and get a qualifying letter. You'll need this when you make an offer.

2nd make a list of what you "have to have" in your home and what you would "like to have".

3rd If you don't already have a realtor, I suggest you visit open houses in the area you want to live and talk with each agent. When you find one you feel has the local knowledge and you are comfortable with, ask them to help you find a home.

4th Give them your list!

Now what happens from here is you will look at homes and when you find the one you like, you and your agent will sit down and write an offer. Make sure you have the agent pull all the solds in that area for the past 6 months, so you know you are making a good offer. Let's not play games here, if the list price is a good price based on the solds, then offer them list price. Make sure to write in the offer that you want answer within 24 hours. Once the offer is written, depending on where you are, your agent may make a presentation to the seller, or it may be faxed over to the listing agent to present to seller. The seller has 3 options: #1 to accept, #2 to counteroffer, #3 to reject.

Once accepted, the paperwork is then sent to the closing company to prepare all the documents for closing. This can take anywhere from 30-60 days. The actually closing date is negotiable at time off offer and could be quicker.

Your loan company will complete your loan application and all the necessary credit checks etc. and send the mortgage package to the closing company either the day before closing or the morning of. At the closing you the buyer has the most paperwork to sign. It generally takes about an hour. Sometimes the seller will attend, sometimes not. Again each state handles this process differently.

Caution: Don't go out and buy a bunch of new stuff until after you close!

I hope you enjoy the process and find that dream home!

That's pretty thorough; but I think Quarter told us last month that he has the resources to be a CASH Buyer.

That is true, although any input is still appreciated.

I also reported the house in question is sold, but that there are many others.

I have been convinced that if I remain in Podunk, I will contract with an agent to represent me.

Where to live is a big decision you folks can't help me with!

[quote=Quarter]Is a broker an agent with experience?

How do I know a broker when I see one?[/quote]

afcours yes, a broker is a an experienced guy cause it is his job to buy and sell and that makes him a quite expert in such marketing, it now depends on thee years of experience of the broker, thus it is hard to determine a brokers experience by just looking at one.

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[url=http://www.san-diego-home-insurance.info/]San Diego Home Insurance[/url]

Hey Quarter,

One tool I like to use when I house-shop is zillow.com. It won't answer all your questions, but it does give a nice aerial view of your neighborhood, along with houses nearby and what they are worth. It might help you get an even better sense of what's going on in that neighborhood.

Liane
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I did check zillow and this neighborhood wasn't in there.

The town shows up, but no homes were listed.