Buying

Buying a property in the Atlanta area can be the most rewarding experience when you are working with the best agents in the industry who understand the process.

The "Property Search" option will provide you with a way to find properties that you are most interested in.

Your next step is to contact a Regent Group Realty sales associate when you are ready to begin your formal search. Our sales associates know the Metro Atlanta area and have the skills to help you successfully complete a transaction from offer through closing.

QUICK OVERVIEW

If you have already decided to buy a home in the Metro Atlanta area, you couldn't have made a better decision. So you can move through the steps from decision to ownership with ease and not apprehension, we offer these tips on real estate practices in the Atlanta area.

WORKING WITH AN AGENT

Your first task will be to select a real estate salesperson with whom you feel comfortable with and have confidence in. Regent Group Realty agents understand that buying a home is an event of profound emotional and financial significance and you can be assured of receiving the level of care and professionalism that has been the hallmark of our company over the years. Multiple listing services and cooperative arrangements between brokers make it possible for one person to show you virtually every home listed for sale. This will save you time, energy and eliminate appointments made at homes that are unavailable. Rather than visit another agent's "Open House" or call on an ad, request that your selected real estate salesperson make arrangements for you to see properties.

PRESENTING YOUR OFFER TO PURCHASE

Now that you have looked at numerous properties and have located your dream home the next step is to have your salesperson prepare a written purchase and sale agreement containing the terms of your proposed purchase which will be presented to the seller.

Usually there will be some negotiating of terms before final acceptance by both purchaser and seller. This is done by "counter offers". Be aware that during the negotiating period the seller must be shown all other offers to purchase which are submitted to the listing agent or broker and who can accept any offer by withdrawing outstanding counter offers made to you, if any. It is to your advantage to make decisions promptly and to be available during the negotiating period.

Should one or more other offers come in before yours has been submitted to the seller all offers will all be presented to the seller in the order in which they were received. If the seller decides to accept one of the other offers you may not have an opportunity to improve the specific terms and conditions of your offer so it is important to make your original offer to purchase a reasonable one.

PREPARING FOR THE CLOSING

Once your offer has been accepted you should move to satisfy the contingencies in contract such as the inspection and financing as soon as possible. The contingency usually requiring the most time to satisfy is the one pertaining to financing. It is prudent early on in your home search to discuss financing with your salesperson. Read the checklist pertaining to making a loan application to get an idea of the information required by lenders so that your first loan application will be a complete one thus avoiding unnecessary delay.

When your loan has been approved a closing will be set and generally held in the office of the attorney who represents the loan company. In this area, closing attorneys usually wait until just prior to closing to prepare the closing statement. This makes it difficult for the real estate agent to provide you with an exact figure of the funds you will need at closing. However, your mortgage company will have given you a "good faith estimate" of costs at time of application and attorneys will generally accept personal checks on local banks for small amounts of closing costs not covered by certified funds.

At the closing you will need to sign all the necessary loan documents and pay the balance of your down payment with certified funds. The seller having paid off any and all liens not assumed by you will sign a deed transferring his ownership to you and give you the keys. Congratulations! You are now the proud owner of your dream home.