At Maple and Main Realty, our agents are all qualified and experienced buyer's agents who assist you with the process of purchasing a house, condominium, multifamily home, or commercial building in Northampton, Amherst, and all surrounding Massachusetts towns. As your buyer’s agent, we’ll be your advocate throughout the home buying process and guide you each step of the way.
Find A Buyer’s Agent
Our experienced buyer’s agents are qualified to help you find properties that appeal to you and negotiate on your behalf to get the best possible price when you find the ideal home. We also help you find a home inspector, recommend a real estate attorney, and connect you with lenders to obtain a loan. Having a skilled adviser to assist you throughout the process is invaluable.
Get Pre-approved
If you haven’t already been pre-approved by a lender, you must do this before anything else. Most sellers want to know upfront that you’re qualified to purchase their home. We can recommend a list of qualified lenders and mortgage brokers, and a bank can issue a pre-approval letter relatively quickly. Getting pre-approved has the added benefit of helping you understand what you can realistically and comfortably afford.
Tour Homes
To establish what type of home is ideal for you, we work together to determine what you actually need in a home and what you would like. Armed with this information and a price range based on your pre-approval letter, we begin the fun part of viewing homes for sale. We scour listings based on your parameters to create a list of the best possibilities, and then we set up private viewings and help you evaluate each property.
Make An Offer
Once you find a home you think is perfect, we help you create an offer that specifies how much you want to pay for the house, a proposed settlement date, and any contingencies both parties must agree upon. Contingencies are conditions that must be met before finalizing the sale. In a best-case scenario, the seller accepts your offer as is, but this isn’t typical.
The Negotiation Process
Many sellers make a counteroffer to your offer. When this happens, you can decide whether you want your buyer’s agent to negotiate with the seller or you can choose to walk away. We are experts at negotiation and will work diligently to get you the best deal based on the value of comparable homes in the same or a similar neighborhood.
Inspecting The Property
After your offer is accepted, you will have the opportunity to hire a certified home inspector who will examine the property and report back on any structural or mechanical defects. We will help you choose an inspector and be present at the inspection with you. A professional inspection mitigates your risk of purchasing a home with hidden repair issues. Your inspection contingency allows you to withdraw your offer without a penalty if the home inspector discovers significant damage or structural problems. We will advise you on any potential negotiations, as well.
The Appraisal Process
Your lender will require an appraiser from a third-party company to evaluate the property and provide a full appraisal of the current market value. In most cases, the appraised value comes out equal to or higher than the agreed-upon selling price. However, if it appraises lower than this price, we will discuss what your options are and strategize a solution.
Close The Deal
Barring any snags with the inspection or appraisal, the final step is closing the deal. During closing, also called settlement, you’ll sign tons of paperwork to officially take ownership of the home. Your paperwork includes your loan documents, so the seller can receive their check from the lender, and you can receive the keys to your new home.
Our experienced buyer’s agents at Maple and Main Realty are ready to help guide you through the home buying process. Contact us today at 413-584-2900 for a personal consultation, so we can get started searching for your new home.