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A Step-by-Step Guide to Buying a Home

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, 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.

My goal is to provide you with the most personalized service that is designed to help you buy your dream home.

Schedule a Consultation
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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.

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

We had a great experience as first-time home buyers, and he was always available to answer questions.

— Nowu Gayflor

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

I have worked with Blake in buying and selling our homes in a 3-year span. He is pleasant to work with and is knowledgeable. He kept us informed and followed up accordingly. He is professional, prompt, responsive, and attentive to details.

— Ka Y.

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

Me and my wife always have the dream of buying a house, and just recently we bought our house, and Blake played a big role in this, and our dream came true. One day we went to see this house and it wasn't in good shape, and Blake pointed out to me the different problems on the property, and I remember him saying "I want to get the right property for you and your family," and he did, we love our house. Th...

— Manuel S.

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

Knowledgeable, pleasant, and asking questions was comfortable. I would recommend Blake!

— Cindy F.

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

Blake is phenomenal, he was patient and kind with my husband and I. Buying your first home can be scary and exciting all at the same time. Blake gave us the absolute best experience. I highly recommend using him if you're looking at buying a home. Thank you a million times, we are loving being homeowners!

— Kyleigh H.

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

Blake came highly recommended by a family member and her husband. Everything they stated about Blake was true. He is extremely professional and knowledgeable about the real estate market. I was very nervous about purchasing my first home and didn't have much knowledge about where to start. During our initial call, Blake made me feel comfortable and at ease. When I asked questions, he answered without jud...

— Buyer

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

Blake has been a realtor for my family for the past decade. He is always willing to go the extra mile for anything we need, including being very honest about the properties. Recently, I moved out of state, and he was more than willing to do Zoom calls for me to see the property in real time since I couldn't be in person. He ended up finding me the perfect home. I couldn't be more happy and would recommen...

— Tasha B.

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

I had an excellent experience working with Blake in buying my home. As a first-time buyer, I was largely unfamiliar with the specifics of the homebuying process, but Blake was always available to answer my questions and offer helpful information. When making big decisions, it is such a boon to have someone that you can trust to represent your interests, and Blake certainly did that for us.

— Sam C.

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

My husband and I just recently bought a home for the first time. We went into the process not doing anything about buying a home. Blake helped make the process easier, and he was very responsive if we had any questions or concerns.

— Tredinnick M.

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

Whether you are buying a home or selling one, Blake is your guy. He’s been awesome to work. Very knowledgeable and always looking for ways to benefit you. Also, not afraid to give you his opinion on a prospective home or an offer. Blake will be my first call if or when looking for a new home in the future.

— Zachary S.

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

Blake was the perfect realtor for our real estate needs. He understood and was patient with our timelines and never pushed to get us to sell or purchase before we were ready. He was patient and always happy to show us all the homes we wanted to look at which was refreshing since the home search process took almost a full year. Once we found our dream home, he was the BEST negotiator and got us the house ...

— Christine K.

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

We worked with Blake when we were buying our new home, and later selling it. Working through both of these processes, Blake was an excellent communicator and explained and guided my wife and I through each step along the way. He was able to negotiate a fantastic deal both on the buying side and the selling side, and we were thrilled to have him representing us. If I buy again in the future I wouldn't ...

— Pete S.

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

Blake helped us through the process of selling our home and purchasing a new one. Of course, it was a pretty stressful experience, especially considering it was our first home sale, but Blake explained everything to us, and never showed any signs of annoyance or frustration when we would ask all the questions that we had. It was evident that he understood that even though he had been through the process ...

— Hai N.

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

This is the 2nd time I have used Blake as my realtor. I first met Blake when I was looking at a property that he was the listing agent. Since I was not represented at the time, I chose to hire him as my agent. He helped me my find my first home. I was so impressed with his services that when I decided to move into the country, I contacted Blake to help me through the process a second time. On the second ...

— Maria T.

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

Truly a Professional. As a Home inspector in the twin cities I have worked with Blake multiple times. He absolutely cares about his clients needs. Blake will attend the inspection and be sure his clients understand the findings. I would recommend Blake any day.

— Todd D.

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

Blake was our realtor when moved to Minnesota from California. We were impressed by his professionalism, stellar customer service, and his quick responses to our questions throughout the process. We've been in our home for three years and we absolutely love it. Blake has been so gracious to answer any real estate questions we've had through the years and we feel like he's always got our best interests in...

— Joe A.

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

Blake is an amazing real estate agent. He went the extra mile to find our family our dream home. He also has an network of professional associates he works with that can make your home purchase seamless. I recommend Blake to everyone I know!

— Misty L.

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

From the moment we met with Blake about selling our home to closing on our new home, Blake was nothing but exceptional. He immediately understood us and our wants and needs. It no longer was my husband and I buying a home but rather the three of us becoming a team throughout the entire process. He stood by us and up for us the whole time with professionalism and respect for everyone involved. We don’t re...

— Amber H.

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

Blake is just a great guy. I felt very comfortable working with him in finding my new home. He is a man that loves his job and is passionate about helping people find the right home. I highly recommend Blake!

— Jason K.

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

Blake is an absolute pro. As first-time homebuyers, my husband and I had what felt like a zillion questions for him, and he had an answer for all of them (or tracked down an answer like bloodhound after a fox!). We felt very comfortable asking even the "stupid" questions and we knew we were finally in good hands with him. In this crazy seller's market, Blake helped us find an amazing home in the neighbor...

— Stephanie N.

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

As a first time home buyers, we had never worked with a realtor before. We met with several realtors, trying to find one that we could trust & we know would work hard for us to find our dream home. When we met Blake, it was obvious he was a cut above the rest. Blake is a true professional, works hard, and treats everyone with the utmost respect. Blake provided us with sound advice at every property we vi...

— Cole S.

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

Blake was nothing short of an amazing realtor for us first-time home buyers! It was so very evident in the way he approached working with us that he is truly passionate about what he does, and doing whatever he can to help his clients find their Minnesota home. The amount of questions we had for him leading up to open houses, during the open houses, after the open houses, at random points in the night w...

— Mackenzie F.

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

I worked with Blake to buy my first home. He was very responsive, helpful, and easy to work with.

— Harry J.

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

Signed in under my sons foundation page. Joe and Sarah Gatlin We just closed on our second house using Blake for a second time. Using him again I think says it all. He is friendly, responsive to questions, will advocate for all your needs and concerns, and gets things done quickly. We have not had a bad home buying experience yet and it’s because of Blake and his team. Choose Blake for your home buyin...

— Everett G.

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

While, the home buying process is a bit harrowing, we would not have been able to do it without Blake. I called Blake from over 1,000 miles away and told him that we needed to be in a dream home in only a couple of months... and he made it happen! Blake knows the process well and is extremely approachable and friendly. If we ever move again I would not consider working with anyone else. I only gave him ...

— Chris K.

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

Buying a home as a first time home owner always makes you think about the horror stories out there and creates the perception of it being an extremely tedious task. That maybe the case if you don't have the right real estate agent, with Blake that is not the case. I was introduced to Blake through a family member because he had done a very good job. My choice in selecting Blake certainly was rewarded, he...

— Shanil A.

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

Blake took great care of me in my Home buying experience by listening to my needs and assuring my Best interest were represented! Thanks Blake!

— Buyer

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

Working with Blake was a top notch experience. Blake was extremely responsive, professional and paid attention to the details. He was also a calming presence when things didn't go perfectly smoothly and gave excellent advice. I am so glad that we were able to work with him to sell our home and buy a new home.

— Elizabeth N.

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

We have had the pleasure of working with Blake to purchase and sell our home. Over the years, No words can express his creativity, drive and compassion he has for his work. He has given my family a very personable experience. Communicating every single step during the process. He is our first and only recommendation. My family is so grateful to have worked with Blake over the last 3 years, we cant expres...

— Ashley S.

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

I have worked closely with several realtors over the years, but when the time came to purchase my own home I thought to hire none other than Blake Halverson. Blake is the realtor you engage when you wish to rest assured that nothing will go wrong with the transaction. Fast to respond to calls and emails, prepared to understand precisely the home you are looking for, thoroughly knowledgeable about the mar...

— David S.

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

Blake was great with us being first-time-home buyers. We really appreciated all the answers to our questions and especially the responsiveness. We will definitely be using Blake in the future for any of our Real Estate needs and could not give a higher recommendation!

— Jacob W.

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

Blake Halverson LISTENS and pays attention to the details as well as the big picture. Blake cares as much about getting the right price for our house and the right piece of Real Estate as we did. He always answered our calls and addressed our concerns. When I was stressed, he listened and reassured me. Blake Halverson is the best person to deal with concerning Real Estate!!

— Seller

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

I just closed on my house today and I would definitely like to recommend Blake. He helped me through a couple of bumps in the road and I was so grateful for his guidance. He knows his business and is willing to go over and above to help his client with every situation. He gets five stars in my book and can’t say enough good things about him…Thank you Blake!

— Barb J.

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

There's no one better than Blake. He was our real estate agent when we bought our home four years ago, and he was exceptional. We had all sorts of questions as first-time home buyers, and he was able to expertly guide us through them all. One of the many great things about Blake is that he never makes you feel pressured. He was honest about everything he saw in a prospective home, and he never tried to ...

— Aaron L.

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

We will only be using Blake Halverson for selling or buying any future homes. He has provided years of service to myself and my family. I recommended him to my best friend, and they are already working together. He has proven to be trustworthy, highly experienced and an outstanding professional. He has provided appropriate guidance and direction based on my home buying needs. He also stays abreast of cur...

— Shimizu

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

Blake was a referral from a friend's referral and I wasn't sure what to expect. Boy was I blown away! He was such a pleasure to work with. I appreciated his flexibility, honestly and just genuine kindness. The buying process was bittersweet, although we are so happy we found our perfect home, I'll definitely miss working with Blake. I recommend him to anyone that is on the hunt to buy a new home! You wil...

— Jackie J.

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

Blake is highly professional and appreciates repeat business. We have had several business interaction together and they have all been a success. Strongly recommend him as a realtor, very knowledgeable of the industry and the Twin Cities market.

— Naomi M.

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

Blake is a very professional realtor. He is always prepared and is a great communicator.. As an inspector with 20 years of experience it is always great to work with a pro that knows how to treat his clients and everyone involved in the process. He is a great communicator and very detail oriented.

— Mark O.

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

Blake helps us sell our old house and also buy a new one, he always was on time to showings and always positive and professional, he always would answer our many questions regardless of what day or time it was, blake and his team are awesome!!!!!!!!

— Hector R.

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

I would give Blake 6 stars if I could, we had an absolutely fantastic experience working with Blake and would highly recommend him!!

— Desmond M.

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

Blake helped us to find our first home in 2017 and our forever home in 2021. He gave us amazing advices and we got our dream house in the most competitive time ever! Thank you Blake!

— Patricia B.

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

Blake was great always available and informative. Felt like the entire process was comfortable and pleasant as well as I felt like a priority.

— Buyer/Seller

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

I am in the insurance world and have worked with dozens of realtors. Hands down Blake has been thee most professional and responsive realtor I have worked with and has taken great care of my clients! Highly recommend him if you're looking for a new home!

— Brad N.

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

I highly recommend Blake to anyone looking to purchase or sell their home. He takes care of his clients like family. Blake will get the job done!

— Bona K.

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

We purchased a custom built home with Blake's help and we were so very grateful for all of the help he provided throughout the process! He is always available, extremely responsive and is happy to go to bat for you to make sure you get what you want in your home.

— Molly H.

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

We had a great experience working with Blake on a recent home purchase. He was always available and responsive to our questions. Blake went above and beyond to help us obtain quotes and contacts from contractors within his network. He has a great deal of knowledge in the reals estate industry which helped guide us through the process. I would recommend Blake to anyone and will be using him in the future.

— Michael T.

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

Blake was such a wonderful partner in our first home buying experience. He gave amazing advice through this super tough market (Summer 2021). He helped us get the absolutely perfect home for us and was such a joy to work with. We will definitely be repeat clients when that time comes. He is punctual, professional, personable and best of all HONEST. I’ve worked with realtors in the past that would say “I’...

— Kim H.

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

Blake has sold two of my homes and facilitated the purchase of my last home. He will get the highest profit for your sale and the best value for your purchase. I look forward to purchasing my next home with Blake Halverson Real Estate. In sum three words describe Blake Halverson Real Estate HONESTY, INTEGRITY, SERVICE

— Theresa B.

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

Blake was very quick to respond to questions I had via phone or text. He was pleasant to work with and was able to arrange visits to houses of interest in a timely manner. I highly recommend him.

— Vicki H.

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

We had a great experience as first time home buyers and he was always available to answer questions.

— Nowu G.

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Whether you are buying, selling or investing in real estate, Blake has a proven track record to be the versatile agent you need. Through strong, aggressive representation, Blake will help you achieve your desired outcomes.

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Contact Details

BLAKE HALVERSON REAL ESTATE

(612) 325-1340

[email protected]

7550 FRANCE AVE S STE 100 EDINA MN 55435