Buy Your Home

Are you planning to buy a home in Colorado? It’s important to have a team of experts by your side to help guide you through the process. There’s a lot to love about purchasing a home, but it can also be overwhelming. That’s why whether you’re interested in the best time of year to buy a house, the online tools that you should use, or what to think about when you’re considering a down payment, we’re here to help.

You deserve to work with realtors you can count on, let the REBL Home Team make your experience a breeze. Contact us today to start the process.

Welcome to the Home Buyers Video Resource! Any questions you might have about home buying will be answered here by Top Producing, professional and experienced Realtors - Brandon and Lana!

Short videos will help you get more familiar with the process and be confident with your next step!

< < PART 1: HOW TO START > >

Below, you will learn more about how to begin the home buying process.

Meet With Your Lender

The first step in the home buying process is to meet with your lender. This will help you determine how much money you can borrow and what your monthly mortgage payments will be. Many people believe that you should wait to meet with a lender until you've found a place you'd like to make an offer on, but this is not true and can put you at a disadvantage. To ensure you can afford the properties you're looking into, you should contact a lender the minute you think you're ready to enter the market and want to purchase a home!

What's the Difference Between a Bank, Banker, and Lender?

A bank is a place you go to find the products you need to buy a home. Here, you can find personalized products based on what you need to purchase your home. A banker, however, is an individual that works with various banks, so they're able to offer you additional products that a regular bank may not be able to. They also offer underwriting in-house, making the process move more quickly. A lender is a broker who works with anywhere from 20 to 50 different banks. Lenders will work with you to understand your situation to find the best lending institution or bank to meet your needs.

To find a lender, shop around by talking to your real estate agent so that you can get pre-approved when you become serious about making an offer on a home. When speaking to a lender, be sure to avoid saying anything untruthful, asking how much you can borrow outright, or discussing things related to your job or finances that may appear problematic.

Save for the down payment

The next step in the buying process is to save for a down payment, which you typically cannot use a personal loan for. Instead, look into low-down-payment mortgages, state and local down payment assistance, down payment gifts or loans from family, crowdfunding, or retirement account withdrawals or loans. As far as the amount you should put down on a mortgage, you should aim for at least 20%, which is often the minimum requirement. However, there are many products that allow for down payments as low as five percent. It is important to understand that the less money you put down at closing, the more fees and interest you’ll need to pay over the loan’s lifetime.

Decide on Your Must-Haves

When looking for a home to buy, consider the following:

Home size
Yard size
The exterior
Number and size of bedrooms and bathrooms
Heating and cooling systems
Age of home
Whether it has an attic, garage, or other additional storage

Call in the Experts

When you’re ready to purchase a home, it’s important to find a buyer’s agent, even for new-build homes. A buyer’s agent can help you understand the rules of the home buying process, and can help provide representation to get you a fair price, communicate with the seller and their agent, understand obtaining the title, etc.

Call Lana and Brandon today!

Brandon Rossell

Phone: 303.999.9727

Lana Structure

Phone: 303.847.6425

< < PART 2: FIND AND BUY > >

Now for the fun part — finding and buying your home! Learn more below.

House Hunting Time

The best way to find the house you want is by using an online search tool. These tools allow you to narrow your results based on the features and amenities you're looking for in a home. Below, you can watch a video that discusses which online tools are the best.

Make an Offer

After you’ve found the right house for you, it’s time to make an offer! You will offer to pay what you think is fair for the house, and then the seller will either accept your offer, counter it, or reject it. Your real estate agent will provide you with their expertise during this step to give you the best chance at having your offer accepted.

Inspection

If your offer is accepted, you’ll need to have an inspection done on the home to ensure that the price you’re paying is appropriate. This includes a look through of the interior, exterior, and mechanical systems of the home to ensure that everything is functioning properly or to determine whether repairs may be necessary.

Closing Time

Once you have an accepted offer on your home, it's time for the closing. The closing is when all parties sign documents to finalize the purchase of a property. This process typically takes place at a title company or attorney's office with Brandon and Lana present as well as your bank representative (if needed). During this meeting, each party will sign off on the mortgage, title transfer, and any other pertinent documents. You'll also be given the keys to your new home!