Buyers
We’re serious about your business and making your real estate transactions as uneventful as possible. Finding the right property can take time or can be a quick process. Marrin Santore Realty, LLC requires the following documentation to begin:
1. Let’s introduce ourselves … you show us your photo identification and we’ll show you ours. We each may receive a copy of the other’s ID for our records.
2. We require an Exclusive Right to Represent Buyer Agreement. This Agreement is the employment contract that allows us to represent you in all stages of the transaction – locating the right property, preparing your offer, negotiating your offer to an accepted contract, interfacing with your attorney, attending inspections with you, guiding you through repair negotiations, following through with your mortgage lender to keep the transaction on track, performing a pre-closing walk-through with you and finally, attending the closing. From the first moment a key opens the door until the key is in your hands after the closing, this Agreement makes us transaction partners.
3. You will also need a Pre-Approval letter from a licensed lender or Proof of Funds if you intend to have a cash purchase. Although a Pre- Approval letter is not final lender commitment, having one to present with your offer gives added weight to the offer. A Pre-Approval letter will also help us determine which properties are within your budget, and, when the time comes, will assure the seller that you are ready and qualified to proceed.
Now, we’re ready to start the journey!
Once the property has been identified, you can expect the following process:
Your agent will prepare an offer to purchase for presentation to the seller or seller’s agent. Included within the offer to purchase will be the terms that are most advantageous to you: purchase price, earnest money deposit(s), mortgage contingency, inspection contingencies, seller’s personal items included or excluded in the sale, closing date, attorney review and approval period and any special additional contingency that is required for you to complete the purchase, such as, any seller concession for your closing costs. A copy of the offer to purchase, initial deposit check and your pre-approval letter from your lender will be forwarded to the seller’s agent, who will present it to the seller.
If the real estate market is such that multiple offers are received at the same time, the seller may elect to have “highest and best” offers submitted to his/her agent by a specific date and time. Generally, this is not a negotiable situation. You must come forward with your absolute best offer. Be prepared.
After your offer has been accepted and executed by the seller, it will be a legal and binding contract. Your real estate agent will forward the contract to your attorney for review and approval.
Upon your attorney’s approval, you will begin your mortgage process with your lender and will have the inspections completed. Your agent can recommend qualified, licensed inspectors to you. If the inspections reveal a need for replacement or repair of major structural or mechanical items, you may choose to negotiate the repairs or replacement with the seller, you may choose to accept the property as-is, or you may choose to withdraw your offer and have your deposit monies returned.
If you proceed with the purchase after the inspections are completed, your lender will order an appraisal of the property (if you have financing) and your attorney will order a title search to make sure the property can be sold to you free of any seller obligation.
Your lender will issue a “clear to close” to your attorney. The closing date and time will be arranged between your attorney, the seller’s attorney, the seller and you.
Generally speaking, on the day of closing, you will do a walk-through of the property with your agent to assure that the property has been maintained as you last saw it and that any repairs, if agreed-to by the seller, were completed as specified.
At the attorney’s office, you will sign your mortgage paperwork (usually an hour’s duration). The actual transfer of funds and final transfer generally takes a few minutes. The deed will be recorded in the municipality’s Town Clerk’s office shortly after closing, but at this point – Congratulations, the property is yours!
