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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.

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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.

Real Stories. Real Results.

I can't speak highly enough about working with Gina. At every step of the home selling process, Gina was supportive, available, and kind. We worked with her to sell a home and would recommend her to anybody looking for a real estate agent. She is very knowledgeable about what she does, and it was a comfort to be able to reach out with any questions. She explained strategies to us, answered any questions very quickly, and gave us options we were comfortable with. There was never any high pressure and she was proactive with providing us with information throughout the entire process. She helped us to: - understand the home buying and selling process. - decide what repairs/upgrades we might want to make before selling and included guidance on what would make a difference with selling and what wouldn't. - get the home listed with great staging and pictures. - understand all of the different offers and what made certain offers more high quality than others. - make counter offers and other conditions favorable to us. - go through all the paperwork. - troubleshoot any issues. - answered ANY questions we had at ANY time. In short, Gina knows her stuff, seems to really care about her clients, and will help you buy or sell a home in a way that makes you feel confident in the process and outcome and takes away a lot of the stress.

— K. F.

Real Stories. Real Results.

Gina helped us get our first home and made the home-buying process as smooth as can be. She was quick to answer any questions and made us feel comforted in what can be a very uncomfortable, stressful time. Would recommend Gina to anyone looking to buy a property! She has continued to remain in contact to check in and to even just say hello!

— Anthony L.

Real Stories. Real Results.

Thoroughly enjoyed the Living Truth seminar. Gina is an excellent realtor and wonderful human being! I recommend her 100% for all your realtor needs!

— Eileen C.

Real Stories. Real Results.

Gina is very detail-oriented, always friendly with her service, and very welcoming. I got to know her from a home-buying seminar and are currently working with her for my real estate needs.

— Alic B.

Real Stories. Real Results.

We love Gina! She was so kind and gracious throughout the home-buying process. She never put pressure on us but did all she could to find us a home that was right for our family. She is knowledgeable, well-connected, and full of integrity. Gina went above and beyond to help us get into our first home, and we are forever grateful. I highly recommend her for your real estate needs!

— Vanessa S.

Real Stories. Real Results.

Working with Gina was one of the best experiences we had in real estate. Not only was she informative, attentive, and resourceful, she was also very helpful and answered all of our questions. Gina made the whole process seem easy and took the time to make things run smooth for us. It was a pleasure to work with her, and we would definitely recommend her services. She is simply the best!

— Gabriela H.

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Let's Make Your Next Move a Smart One

Whether you're buying your first home, selling a longtime property, relocating, or exploring an investment opportunity, Gina Oddo offers the knowledge, strategy, and personal attention to help you move forward with confidence. Her approach is simple: listen first, provide honest guidance, create a clear plan, and stay by your side from the first conversation through closing.

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Contact Details

Gina Oddo | CA DRE# 02114213 |
HomeSmart Evergreen Realty & Associates Inc

(714) 348-3820
[email protected]


1400 N HARBOR BLVD STE 720
FULLERTON, CA 92835