Buying a Home in Jacksonville and Northeast Florida

The Home Buying Process

Every purchase is different, but most buyers move through the same basic stages. Understanding the process before you begin can help you make better decisions, prepare for expenses and move quickly when the right property becomes available.

Start With Your Finances

Before shopping for a home, take a look at your income, monthly obligations, available savings and credit profile. Your purchase budget involves more than the sales price. You should also consider your expected monthly payment, down payment, closing costs, insurance, property taxes and funds you want to keep available after closing.

Understand Your Financing Options

You do not necessarily need a 20 percent down payment to purchase a home. Depending on your qualifications and the property, financing options may include conventional, FHA, VA and other mortgage programs with different down payment and qualification requirements.

A mortgage professional can help you compare available options and estimate the cash and monthly payment associated with different purchase prices.

Get Preapproved

If you plan to finance your purchase, getting preapproved before seriously shopping can help establish a realistic price range. It also allows you to address potential financing issues before you find a property and can help demonstrate to a seller that you have already taken steps toward obtaining financing. Final loan approval will still depend on underwriting, the property and satisfaction of applicable loan requirements.

Define What You're Looking For

Think about the features that matter most to you, including location, property type, bedrooms, bathrooms, lot size, commute and lifestyle. Separating your must-haves from your nice-to-haves can make the search much more productive.

NuView Realty's property search tools can help you explore available homes and narrow your search as you learn what works best for you.

Tour Homes and Evaluate Your Options

Online photos and property details are a great starting point, but seeing a property can reveal much more. Pay attention to the home's condition, layout, location and features as well as factors that could affect your ownership costs or future plans.

Prepare a Competitive Offer

There is no universal formula for how much to offer. Asking price, comparable sales, property condition, competing offers, market conditions and your own goals can all affect the strategy. Your real estate professional can help you evaluate the property and structure an offer that addresses price, deposits, financing, inspections, closing dates and other important terms.

Move From Contract to Closing

Once your offer is accepted, the transaction moves into the contract-to-closing stage. Depending on your contract and financing, this may include inspections, financing, an appraisal, title work, insurance arrangements and other due diligence.

Before closing, review the documents and funds required from you and complete your final walkthrough. At closing, the remaining documents are signed and the transaction is completed.

Get the Keys

Once the transaction has closed and possession is available under your agreement, it's time to enjoy your new home. Planning ahead for utilities, insurance, moving and your first expenses as a homeowner can make the transition easier.