Offer and acceptance occur when the seller accepts a buyer's offer on the home, usually by signing a Purchase and Sale Agreement already signed by the buyer. This concept is also known as mutual acceptance.
Completing your loan pre-approval, finding the right place, and structuring a competitive offer requires a lot of time and energy:
· Earnest Money
· Home Inspection
· Mortgage Lender Documents
· Title Commitment
· Appraisal
· Homeowners Insurance
· Utilities
· Schedule Closing
· Final Walkthrough
· Attend Closing
Earnest Money
Earnest money is the buyer’s proof that they "earnestly" want to purchase the home. This step is involved at the beginning of the transaction. It's designed to protect the seller's interests as they take their house off the market.
Home Inspection
Once you have an executed sales contract in hand, the clock starts on the inspection period. It’s time to hire a home inspector. Make sure you complete the inspections on time.
Mortgage Lender Documents
As soon as a homebuyer has an executed sales contract on a home, they need to communicate with their mortgage lender. This step will ensure that the lender has all the docs to get started on the loan. As soon as a lender receives a sales contract, they start the mortgage process for the transaction.
Title Commitment
This step is handled by the Title Company or law office facilitating the transaction. They will issue a Title Commitment that reviews the property's title history (chain of title). They will also disclose any liens against the property that need to be resolved before closing.
Appraisal
Once you have cleared the Inspection process, let the mortgage lender know that you're past that step. The lender will order a home appraisal to verify that the home’s value is worth the sales contract's loan amount.
Homeowners Insurance
The mortgage lender will require the buyer to have a Homeowner’s Insurance Policy on the property before closing. The buyer will shop around and choose a homeowner's insurance provider and policy that works best for their home.
Utilities
With so many details happening at once, it's easy to forget the home utilities. Some states require the seller to disclose the local utility providers in the Sellers Disclosure. Contact these utility providers immediately to schedule or transferred them into your name.
Schedule Closing
Your sales contract will have an agreed-upon closing date. Ensure that someone has contacted the title company in advance to make sure they have a convenient time slot open. Title companies often book up during the busy summer months. Be sure to schedule this at least a week or two ahead of time.
Final Walkthrough
It is wise for the homebuyer to do a Final Walkthrough before the closing. The purpose of a Final Walkthrough is to verify that repairs are complete. It’s also wise to check that all of the seller's personal belongings are removed. Make sure that the home is fully ready to move in.
Attend Closing
On the day of closing, you'll need to have your approved photo ID and certified funds. If you’re required to bring money, it will be on your closing statement. You will meet at the title company to sign all of the required documentation.
Each of the ten steps listed above has the potential to sabotage your home purchase. Make sure that you stay on top of your transaction to identify any potential issues before they arise.
In previous post: " What is writing an offer?"