Buyers - The Elizabeth Winterbottom Team

Buying Process – What to Expect

When buying a home, having an agent with a deep knowledge of the local markets is of primary importance. Elizabeth Winterbottom knows the ins and outs of every street and neighborhood of the towns she covers–she knows about the schools, transportation, parking, dining, recreation and is up to date on local developments.

Elizabeth Winterbottom provides buyers with everything they need to make well-informed decisions. Almost as important, Elizabeth and her team will make buying a home in our area fun. Buying a new home is exciting! Let us do the work, so you and your family can enjoy your new home.

Initial Meeting

Whether in person or over the phone, we will discuss your ideal home, dream neighborhood, school particulars and commute criteria. Tell me what you are looking for and I will focus on your needs to help you find a fabulous home.

Initial Listings

I will put together a list of properties that meet your criteria for you to review. Once you have had a chance to go over them, you can let me know what properties are of interest so I can start to get an idea of exactly what you are looking for.

Seeing Homes

My team will take care of setting up all appointments and I will meet you to show you the homes you have chosen as well as a few additional homes I may recommend. Your schedule is “the” schedule and I will make sure that each time we meet to see properties, it is a pleasant, worthwhile and stress-free experience.

Making An Offer

Once you have fallen in love with a home, I will draw up a contract with the terms we decide on and present your offer to the seller’s agent. Then I will work as an intermediary to help you negotiate the contract. This critical part of the process is where my negotiation skills and experience will work for you to get you the house you want for the best price and terms.

Attorney Review

Once the contract is terms agreed, the Attorney Review phase commences. During this period, both the buyer and the seller can walk away from the deal with no penalty. Some buyers already have their own real estate attorney, however most choose one from my list of vetted real estate attorneys, interview a few, and determine the one they would like to represent them in their purchase. Attorney Review lasts until both the buyer and seller are satisfied with the amended contract. At that point, both attorneys sign off on the contract and you are now under contract.

Home Inspection Phase

When Attorney Review is completed, you are considered under contract. The next step is the home inspection. I will give you a number of recommended Home Inspectors that will do a thorough home inspection (typically includes a termite and radon inspection as well). Additionally, I always recommend that we do an oil tank sweep to make sure there are not any abandoned tanks on the property. The home inspector always finds a long list of issues–fear not. Together we will go through the Inspection Report and determine what are “real issues,” what are “things we are glad to know” and what are issues we “would like to get further information/estimates on.” Once we have all the information we need, together with your attorney, we will put in inspection requests and work through resolution on all issues. The seller has the option to either repair critical items or give a the buyer a negotiated monetary credit to remedy all home inspection issues.

Mortgage Process

I can recommend mortgage lenders or you can choose your own. I am happy to guide you through the mortgage process if you would like assistance with this. I will make sure that you fully understand the process and that you are comfortable every step of the way. Please refer to the closing costs and mortgage section for more information.

With You All The Way

Elizabeth Works With You All The Way Through Closing: I will make sure that you are aware of all the time sensitive dates in the contract so that we remain on track with regards to escrow deposits, inspection and mortgage contingency dates. There is a lot to keep in mind, but you will not have to. My team and I are here to advocate for you. We will make the home buying process smooth and hassle-free so you can get excited about your new home.

…And Beyond

Once you have bought your home, our relationship does not end. I field calls from clients all the time looking for local service recommendations, to help them decide how to best allocate renovation dollars and anything else that you might need. I am available all the time and LOVE hearing from my clients.

How may i help you?

If you are even thinking about selling in the next few years, contact Elizabeth to set up a “no obligation” listing consultation.