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Buyer's Guide

A Step-by-Step First Time Buyer's Guide

Buying a home is one of the most exciting milestones of your life. To prepare yourself for this moment, you need to know what to expect during the process. This step-by-step first time buyer’s guide created by your agent will help reduce the stress of buying a home and help you enjoy the journey as much as possible.

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Step 1: Research

Do you already know where you want to buy? If you want a condo, townhome, or single-family home? Which features do you like and dislike? What’s available on the market now? If you answered no to any of these questions, now is the time to start researching. In addition to looking for homes that interest you, also take note of any changes in asking prices. This could give you valuable insight into housing trends in specific neighborhoods and help you when the time comes to make an offer.

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Step 2: Decide on Your Budget

Notice I said to decide on your budget—not determine how much the mortgage company will give you. In many cases, a mortgage company will pre-approve you for more than you’re comfortable spending, which is why you need to determine the monthly payment you feel comfortable with before talking to a lender. This likely includes doing a full household budget and taking into consideration what changes other than a mortgage payment will occur once you move into your new home. If you’ve lived in an apartment or with roommates, you may overlook new expenses like garbage, water, or HOA fees that could easily blow your budget.

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Step 3: Get Prequalified

Just because you think you can afford a certain payment every month doesn’t mean the mortgage company will agree. Just as they may approve you for too large of an amount, they may also approve you for a lesser amount or deny you a mortgage altogether. Lack of time at a job, insufficient credit, past bankruptcies, or other financial issues can cause major problems when trying to secure a mortgage. Before you get your heart set on a home, talk to a mortgage professional to find out what amount you can qualify for. This will also be an advantage when you make an offer on a home, as some sellers won’t entertain offers from those who aren’t already prequalified for a loan.

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Step 4: Choose a Real Estate Agent

Can you shop for, look at, and ultimately make an offer on a home without a real estate agent? Technically, yes, but why would you when it costs you nothing for an agent like me to take much of the stress off your shoulders? Not only will I help identify properties you might be interested in, arrange showings, and ultimately handle the offer process, but I also have a knowledge of the market that you don’t possess. Finding the perfect home can be a daunting task, and this is where my expertise and wealth of knowledge come into play. Let me show you around some homes that meet your dream home criteria so you can find the one that's right for you.

Passion & Expertise

My goal is to provide you with the most personalized service possible, meticulously designed to help you navigate the process of buying your dream home. I am dedicated to understanding your unique needs and preferences, ensuring that every step of the journey is tailored to achieve your ultimate home-buying aspirations.

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Step 5: Find the Right Home

This should be the most enjoyable step of the entire process (other than moving in!). I will arrange showings of homes you’re interested in that are within your price range. Take notes about what you like and don’t like, and make sure to pay attention to details. Turn light switches on and off, open and close doors, and run the faucets in various rooms. Don’t limit your inspection to the home itself. Make sure to take time to explore the neighborhood and keep an eye on traffic at certain times of the day, the parking situation, and how close it is to necessities like schools and grocery stores.

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Step 6: Make an Offer

Once you have selected the perfect home, work with your agent to craft a fair offer based on the value of comparable homes on the market. Depending on what the home is listed at and whether the current environment is a buyer’s or seller’s market, your offer may be below, at, or even above the asking price. I will be able to help you negotiate if you receive a counteroffer and reach an agreement. At this point, the house will go into escrow.

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Step 7: Have the Home Inspected

In most cases, your offer will be contingent on having the home inspected to ensure there is no major structural damage or large repairs needed. I can help you arrange this, and you can schedule it within days of making an offer. If there are no major issues, the process goes to step eight. If there is, you can renegotiate your offer based on what needs to be fixed, or you can withdraw it.

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Step 8: Select Your Loan

Now is the time to go back to the mortgage lender who pre-approved or pre-qualified you and choose your mortgage. You will be presented with various options based on your unique financial situation, including fixed-rate, variable-rate, 15-year, 30-year, or special programs such as VA loans or FHA loans. Work with your mortgage lender to select the option you feel the most comfortable with.

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Step 9: Get a Home Appraisal

Your lender will have your new home appraised so they have their independent value of it. The appraisal is to ensure that all parties involved are paying a fair price for the house.

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Step 10: Finish Paperwork

No one looks forward to all the paperwork involved in buying a home, but it’s a necessary part of the process. Fortunately, everything will be arranged by your lender and title company and, when you’re finished, you’ll know you are the legal owner of your new home.

Congratulations!

After signing the final paperwork to complete the purchase, you are now the owner of a new house. It may take a few days for your loan to be funded once the paperwork has been returned to the lender, but once that check is delivered to the seller, you’ll be all set to move into the home of your dreams. 

Testimonials

What My Clients Say

"Cindy works hard to get the deal done! She worked a double transaction, and delivered. Cindy found our unique home that we dreamed of. Thanks Cindy! Merry Christmas."
"Cindy works hard to get the deal done! She worked a double transaction, and delivered. Cindy found our unique home that we dreamed of. Thanks Cindy! Merry Christmas."
Angela C.
"We love Cindy! She represented us for both selling and buying! She listens to your wants and needs and has a great attention to details. She definitely is committed and has you in mind throughout the whole process. She keeps you informed so you are always “in the loop”. I would not hesitate to recommend Cindy to everyone who is in need of a Realtor! "
"We love Cindy! She represented us for both selling and buying! She listens to your wants and needs and has a great attention to details. She definitely is committed and has you in mind throughout the whole process. She keeps you informed so you are always “in the loop”. I would not hesitate to recommend Cindy to everyone who is in need of a Realtor! "
Tina T.
"I've worked with Cindy three times now - for both buying and selling - and could not recommend her more highly. Cindy always goes the extra mile for her clients. She is extremely knowledgeable, kind, and advocates for her clients 100% of the way."
"I've worked with Cindy three times now - for both buying and selling - and could not recommend her more highly. Cindy always goes the extra mile for her clients. She is extremely knowledgeable, kind, and advocates for her clients 100% of the way."
Emily H.
"Cindy is extremely helpful and knowledgeable. This was our third time working with her and each experience was great. She went above and beyond with helping us. I highly recommend working with Cindy!"
"Cindy is extremely helpful and knowledgeable. This was our third time working with her and each experience was great. She went above and beyond with helping us. I highly recommend working with Cindy!"
Michael R.
"Cindy was amazing through this entire experience between seeing multiple properties and then having to overcome obstacle after obstacle to finally obtain the property I now have she went above and beyond and then some I would recommend her to anyone "
"Cindy was amazing through this entire experience between seeing multiple properties and then having to overcome obstacle after obstacle to finally obtain the property I now have she went above and beyond and then some I would recommend her to anyone "
David K.
"Great to work with. Thorough, attentive. Great at returning answers. Proficient and pleasant. Loved working with Cindy! "
"Great to work with. Thorough, attentive. Great at returning answers. Proficient and pleasant. Loved working with Cindy! "
Barbara W.
"Cindy was very supportive, patient and helpful during our home search journey. We owe her a lot."
"Cindy was very supportive, patient and helpful during our home search journey. We owe her a lot."
Leslie E.
"Cindy was very easy to deal with and she would get back to us quickly if we had any questions or concerns."
"Cindy was very easy to deal with and she would get back to us quickly if we had any questions or concerns."
Robert D.
"Great realtor. Very experienced. Extremely helpful on our purchase. "
"Great realtor. Very experienced. Extremely helpful on our purchase. "
Charles F.
"Cindy is an exeptional agent I had her for an agent year and half ago and she was great then. Thank you Cindy!"
"Cindy is an exeptional agent I had her for an agent year and half ago and she was great then. Thank you Cindy!"
Marcel F.
"Cindy was wonderful to work with. She was extremely helpful in every steps of the home buying process. She answered any questions I had quickly and thoroughly. I highly recommend Cindy for anyone looking for a realtor."
"Cindy was wonderful to work with. She was extremely helpful in every steps of the home buying process. She answered any questions I had quickly and thoroughly. I highly recommend Cindy for anyone looking for a realtor."
Joelle C.
"Professional, personable, efficient."
"Professional, personable, efficient."
Kerry M.
"Absolutely an awesome agent very attentive kept me updated immediately personable went above and beyond I was out of state selling my property cindy made it so easy everything went extremely smooth I would definitely recommend her if the opportunity arose. "
"Absolutely an awesome agent very attentive kept me updated immediately personable went above and beyond I was out of state selling my property cindy made it so easy everything went extremely smooth I would definitely recommend her if the opportunity arose. "
Gwynne H.
" Cindy takes everything to a personal level. She obviously care about her people and her business. Professional but personal. Would recommend her to anyone looking to purchase or buy. She stays on top of her game, and gives 150% to every person she is helping. Her awareness of people, and the right property match is finely tuned."
" Cindy takes everything to a personal level. She obviously care about her people and her business. Professional but personal. Would recommend her to anyone looking to purchase or buy. She stays on top of her game, and gives 150% to every person she is helping. Her awareness of people, and the right property match is finely tuned."
Jacky W.
"My husband and I had a big dream of owning a homestead property in Maine and Cindy Gannon was absolutely essential in making that happen! This knowledgeable woman went above and beyond to find the perfect property for us as out of state buyers. We feel incredibly blessed to have found her. We literally could not be happier with the end result and the property we purchased will be cherished for generations to come! Thank you Cindy for helping to make our dream a reality and what a wonderful experience this was!"
"My husband and I had a big dream of owning a homestead property in Maine and Cindy Gannon was absolutely essential in making that happen! This knowledgeable woman went above and beyond to find the perfect property for us as out of state buyers. We feel incredibly blessed to have found her. We literally could not be happier with the end result and the property we purchased will be cherished for generations to come! Thank you Cindy for helping to make our dream a reality and what a wonderful experience this was!"
Andrea K.
"We would highly recommend Cindy! She is friendly, and knowledgeable when buying or selling property. She assisted us in purchasing our home, and selling land. Cindy guided us through the process and was readily available for questions. We also shared quite a few laughs! "
"We would highly recommend Cindy! She is friendly, and knowledgeable when buying or selling property. She assisted us in purchasing our home, and selling land. Cindy guided us through the process and was readily available for questions. We also shared quite a few laughs! "
Sharon L.
"Two of my siblings, myself, and a friend, recently bought a home in Maine. All of us are retired, each of us had different ideas of what we wanted, and none of us knew where in Maine would be best for us. We started our search when folks were bidding on houses sight unseen and interest rates were steadily rising. Very stressful. Cindy was amazing. She must've covered half of the state showing us a wide variety of homes in a wide range of prices and she was never impatient nor discouraging. She really knows the State of Maine. We all love the house and town we finally settled on and can't wait to make the house the "perfect" family gathering place. "
"Two of my siblings, myself, and a friend, recently bought a home in Maine. All of us are retired, each of us had different ideas of what we wanted, and none of us knew where in Maine would be best for us. We started our search when folks were bidding on houses sight unseen and interest rates were steadily rising. Very stressful. Cindy was amazing. She must've covered half of the state showing us a wide variety of homes in a wide range of prices and she was never impatient nor discouraging. She really knows the State of Maine. We all love the house and town we finally settled on and can't wait to make the house the "perfect" family gathering place. "
Sally M.
"Cindy is one of the most knowledgeable, kind, helpful, astute agents around. She helped us buy and sell our home and went far above and beyond caring for us as clients. There's little she isn't informed on - from home construction and utilities to market patterns to all the twists and turns that can come about when buying or selling a home. There are few agents around of her calibre. We loved working with her. "
"Cindy is one of the most knowledgeable, kind, helpful, astute agents around. She helped us buy and sell our home and went far above and beyond caring for us as clients. There's little she isn't informed on - from home construction and utilities to market patterns to all the twists and turns that can come about when buying or selling a home. There are few agents around of her calibre. We loved working with her. "
Em C.
"Cindy is an unbelievably good real estate agent. I don't know how she does it. We were looking for a place in Maine, but each of us had varied criteria. We'd visited Maine several times, but didn't really know the state. i can't believe how far Cindy traveled and how many places she showed us (video and in person tours) before we finally found a place that worked for everyone and we love it."
"Cindy is an unbelievably good real estate agent. I don't know how she does it. We were looking for a place in Maine, but each of us had varied criteria. We'd visited Maine several times, but didn't really know the state. i can't believe how far Cindy traveled and how many places she showed us (video and in person tours) before we finally found a place that worked for everyone and we love it."
Sally M.
"Cindy is amazing - I told her what we wanted and she found both properties- we couldn’t have been happier."
"Cindy is amazing - I told her what we wanted and she found both properties- we couldn’t have been happier."
Paul S.
"Really did a great job with my house - she found the right buyers and helped out a great deal. She was a true delight to work with, and I would not hesitate to have Cindy handle my next sale or purchase. She found the buyers quickly and started negotiating on my behalf. She was an excellent go-between and saw to it that everything was done properly."
"Really did a great job with my house - she found the right buyers and helped out a great deal. She was a true delight to work with, and I would not hesitate to have Cindy handle my next sale or purchase. She found the buyers quickly and started negotiating on my behalf. She was an excellent go-between and saw to it that everything was done properly."
Jeff S.
"Cindy helped me make a very time sensitive sale happen, I think it even surprised her how all things fell right into place. I couldn’t ask for a smoother transaction. Thank you!"
"Cindy helped me make a very time sensitive sale happen, I think it even surprised her how all things fell right into place. I couldn’t ask for a smoother transaction. Thank you!"
Richard S.
"We would highly recommend Cindy to anyone for both buying and selling. She worked diligently for us in both areas, she has a great attention to detail, listens and acts on your wishes and needs. She is prompt in returning calls and is quick to find answers. She accomplishes all this all the while she balances home life and volunteering at Gateway Pentecostal Community Food Bank."
"We would highly recommend Cindy to anyone for both buying and selling. She worked diligently for us in both areas, she has a great attention to detail, listens and acts on your wishes and needs. She is prompt in returning calls and is quick to find answers. She accomplishes all this all the while she balances home life and volunteering at Gateway Pentecostal Community Food Bank."
Tina T.
"Cindy was quick to respond, knowledgeable about the area, and pleasant throughout the process of securing our home. We would definitely use her services again for another purchase."
"Cindy was quick to respond, knowledgeable about the area, and pleasant throughout the process of securing our home. We would definitely use her services again for another purchase."
Mark D
"We worked with Cindy across states. She understood our needs. We love our new home!"
"We worked with Cindy across states. She understood our needs. We love our new home!"
Joan M.
"She was great to work with, really helped with all aspects of the transaction, she's very knowledgable and worked hard for me. I can't recommend her enough!"
"She was great to work with, really helped with all aspects of the transaction, she's very knowledgable and worked hard for me. I can't recommend her enough!"
Jeff S
"Couldn’t ask for a better realtor!!!"
"Couldn’t ask for a better realtor!!!"
Daryl C
"Cindy has been fantastic from start to finish. I really appreciate her attention to detail and go-getter mentality. We were in great hands the entire time and the process was very smooth. I will absolutely recommend her to everyone and use her again in the future."
"Cindy has been fantastic from start to finish. I really appreciate her attention to detail and go-getter mentality. We were in great hands the entire time and the process was very smooth. I will absolutely recommend her to everyone and use her again in the future."
Nick L.

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