Homebuyer's Handbook

You'vejusttakenakeysteptowardbuyinganewhome: selectingtherealestateagentrightforyou.Buyingahomeis onethelargestfinancialandlifedecisionsmostofusever make,andit’smymissiontomakesureyoufeelsupported andconfidentalongtheway.

Mycommitmenttoyouistokeepyouinformedandeducated inordertohavethebesthomebuyingexperiencepossible. AlthoughIamheretoguideyoueverystepoftheway,Ihope thisguidecanserveasausefulresource,too.Thereislotsof informationhere,butpleaseneverhesitatetojustreachout directlywithanyquestions.

Thankyoufortheopportunitytohelpyoufindyourdream home andIlookforwardtobeginningthisjourneytogether!

Middy Matthews

REALTOR

BRE#6501383992

M:(734)275-2751

E:Middy@ArborMove.com

WELCOMETOTHEHOMEBUYINGPROCESS!

MIDDY MATTHEWS

MiddyIsoneofAnnArborareapremieragents She’sbecomethe“goto”agentandaconsistent leaderwithareputationforintegrityandstrongnegotiations.Savvynegotiationsandcutting edgemarketingstrategiesarethekeytoMiddy'ssuccess.

Middy'scareerstarted,rightoutofcollege,inAdvertisingwithafocusonprintadvertisingand marketing.Needingabreakfromthestressandtedium,shetookabreaktogobacktotennisasa pro,teachinghundredsofpeoplemonthlywasrewardingandeducational Fromthereshe becameaprofessionalphotographer,specializinginbusinessphotos,realestatephotosand Googlebusinessspecialization.Withtheloveofteaching,marketingandhousing,theskillsetwas easilytransferredtorealestatewhereshebecameasuccessfulRealtorintheAnnArborarea.

MEETTHETEAM

MIDDY,TEAMLEAD|MASTERNEGOTIATOR

Middy'scareerstarted,rightoutofcollege,inAdvertisingwithafocusonprintadvertising andmarketing.Needingabreakfromthestressandtedium,shetookabreaktogobackto tennisasapro,teachinghundredsofpeoplemonthlywasrewardingandeducational.From thereshebecameaprofessionalphotographer,specializinginbusinessphotos,realestate photosandGooglebusinessspecialization.Withtheloveofteaching,marketingand housing,theskillsetwaseasilytransferredtorealestatewhereshebecameasuccessful RealtorintheAnnArborarea.

TOM,REALTOR|HOUSEHUSTLER

Tomisagogetter,specializingintheMilantothesouthborderofMichigan. He'saneasyto talkto,countrygentleman. Wecansay'everyonelikesTom'andmeanit. Whenitcomesto househunting,he'llturnovereveryrockandgetthejobdone,findingyouthehomeyou werelookingfor. Itdoesn'tstopthere,Tomisanexpertnegotiatorandwillbetherewhen youneedhimthemost.

ALEX,OFFICEMANAGER|PAPERPUSHER

Alexisourbackofficeangel. She'spickingupthepaperworkwhenweareontherunand makingsureallofourdeadlinesaremet. There'salotofnavigatewithyourhomepurchase andAlexhasitallsmoothedoutsoyouhavenothingtoworryaboutbutyourmove. Haven'tyougotenoughonyourplate?

LenderPre-Approval

ViewHomes

WriteOffer&NegotiatePrice

TitleSearch

HomeInspection

TermiteInspection

AppraisalOrderedbyLender

PostInspectionAgreement

FinalCommitmentLetterbyLender

OrderHomeWarranty

ScheduleHomeowner'sInsurance

FinalAmountNeededforClosing "CleartoClose"

Beforeyouofficiallybeginyourhomesearch,I alwaysrecommendyouspeakwithalenderabout gettingpre-approved Alenderisagreatresource foransweringfinancialquestionsandprovidinga clearunderstandingoftheloanrangeyouare likelytobeapprovedfor.Thishelpsyousetaprice foryourhomesearch!

Apre-approvalisapreliminaryindication ofthesizeofmortgageyou'llbeableto receive.Thelenderdoesaninitial evaluationofyourfinances,including yourcreditscore,income,anddebts The processmayalsohelpidentifyany potentialproblemswithyourcredit.

Thesearesomedocumentsyoumayneedto provideforyourpreapproval:

TaxReturns

W-2Forms

PayStubs

BankStatements

MonthlyDebt

Questionstoask wheninterviewing potentiallenders:

Whatisthebesttypeofloanforme?

DoIqualifyforanyspecialdiscountsorloanprograms?

Whatinterestratecanyouoffer?

Whencanyoulockinmyrate?

WhatfeescanIexpectfromyou?

Whataremyestimatedclosingcosts?

RECOMMENDEDLENDERS

Feelfreetoreachoutandinterviewsomeofthe lendersthatIknowandtrust.

CLAYTONKENDRICK|TOTALHOMELENDING

C:(989)928-8377

APPLY:https://loop.totalhomelending.com/homehub/ signup/24798f68

E:ckendrick@totalhomelending.com

555BriarwoodCir#200B,AnnArbor,MI48108

JIMCOOK|MICHIGANFIRSTMORTGAGE

P:(313)820-4648

Apply:https://michiganfirstmortgage.mymortgageonline.com/loan-app/?

E:jcook@michiganfirstmortgage.com

27000EvergreenRdLathrupVillage,MI48076

ALEXANDERMOYA|WHOLESALELENDING

C:734-478-3959

W:fsbbank.net

E:amoya@fsbbankwl.com

278Collingwood,Suite,AnnArbor,MI48103

THEHOMESEARCH

PREVIEWHOMES

Nowforthefunpart!IWewilldiscussyouridealpricerange,your"must-haves"list,deal breakers,locationpreferences,schooldistricts,andalloftheotherfactorsthatmattertoyou.I'll sendyouautomatedlistingsbasedonyourpreferences,andwhenyoudecideyouareinterested inahome,wewillscheduleanin-personshowing.

WRITETHEOFFER&NEGOTIATEPRICE

Greatnews you'rereadytomoveforwardwithaproperty!Beforewewriteanoffer,we'llneed togatherafewdocumentsanddiscusssomeimportantdetails:

Pre-ApprovalLetter

OfferPrice

FinancingAmount

EarnestMoneyDeposit

ProofofRemainingFunds

ClosingDate

InspectionPeriod

ClosingCosts

Whenmakinganoffer,Iwillalwayshelpyouputyourbestfootforwardsotobe seriouslyconsideredbytheseller.Herearesometipstohelpyourofferstandout:

Submityourloanpre-approvalletterwithyouroffer

Requestthatyourlendercallthelistingagenttoshareorreviewyourpre-approvaldetails. Considerhowmuchearnestmoneyyoucaninclude.Note:alowearnestdepositcanindicatetothe sellerthatyouarenotcommittedtopurchasingtheproperty.

Makeanofferthatwillgettheseller’sattention.Submittingalowoffercanriskitbeingrejected. Limitthecontingenciesincludedinyouroffertodealbreakersonly.

Provideflexibilityaroundyourclosingdate.Thiscanbeagreatnegotiationtool!

INSPECTIONS

Thetypicalinspectionperiodisbetween7-10days. Thisisindicatedonyourcontractandthisisthetimeyouhaveto,notonlygettheinspection done,buttomakeanyquestionsforrepairsorconcessions,ifneeded.

Nowthatyourofferhasbeenaccepted,it'scriticaltobeginschedulinginspections assoonasyouareundercontract.Thiswillensurethatwedonotrunoutoftime orhaveanydelaysintheclosingprocess.

HereareacouplehomeinspectorsIrecommend:

TRADEMARKINSPECTIONSERVICES

P:734-331-3269

OnlineBooking:trademarkhomeinspection.com

ANGIECANE |HOMETEAMINSPECTIONS

C:(734)635-9334

VinceSantos:734-748-9584

LOANAPPLICATION&APPRAISAL

Youwilltypicallyhave3-5daysafterthecontracthasbeenexecutedtomakeanapplicationfor yourloanwithyourlender.Theappraisalwillbeorderedbyyourlenderafterwehavemadeour waythroughtheinspectionperiod.Ifyourcontractiscontingentontheappraisal,wewillhavean opportunitytonegotiatethepriceagainiftheappraisalcomesbacklowerthanyouroffer.

UNDERCONTRACT

HOMEINSURANCE

YouwillneedtoobtainaHomeowner'sInsurance Policythatwillbeginonthedayofclosingonyour home.Ifyoudon'talreadyhaveaninsurance companyyouplantoworkwith,pleasefeelfreeto reachouttomeandIwillbemorethanhappyto provideyouwithrecommendations.

HOMEWARRANTY

TITLESEARCH

Atitlesearchisanexaminationofpublicrecords todetermineandconfirmaproperty'slegal ownership,andfindoutwhatclaimsorliensare ontheproperty Acleantitleisrequiredforany realestatetransactiontogothroughproperly.

Ahomewarrantyisaone-yearserviceagreementthathelpscovercostsshouldyouneedtorepairorreplace coveredhomesystemcomponentsorappliancesduetowearandtear.Ahomewarrantyisnotaninsurance policy,butratheraservicecontractthatpaysthecostofrepairorreplacementofcovereditems,suchas majorkitchenappliances,aswellaselectrical,plumbing,heating,andairconditioningsystems.Awarranty doesn’tcoverwindows,doors,orotherstructuralfeatures

REMEMBER!

Asexcitedasyoumaybetobeginshoppingaround forfurnitureandhomegoods,it'sbesttowaituntil afterclosingday.Avoidmakingmajorpurchases, openingnewlinesofcredit,andchangingjobsduring thisperiod Ifindoubt,besuretocallyourmeoryour lendertodiscuss..

"CLEARTOCLOSE"

Youdidit!Thismeansthatthemortgage underwriterhasapprovedyourloan documentsandwecanconfirmyour closingdate.

COSTSTOCONSIDER

EARNESTMONEY DOWNPAYMENT

Earnestmoneyisadepositmadetoasellerthatrepresentsabuyer'sgoodfaithtobuya home.Themoneygivesthebuyerextratimetogetfinancingandconductthetitlesearch, propertyappraisal,andinspectionsbeforeclosing.Thecostistypically1-3%ofthe purchaseprice.

Yourminimumdownpaymentdependsonthetypeofmortgage,thelender,andyour finances.A10%downpaymentona$350,000homewouldbe$35,000.Atypicaldown paymentwillbebetween3.5%-20%althoughyoucanputdownmore,andendupwith lessofamortgage Whenapplyingforamortgagetobuyahouse,thedownpaymentisyour contributiontowardthepurchaseandrepresentsyourinitialownershipstakeinthehome. Thelenderprovidestherestofthemoneytobuytheproperty.

Closingcostsarefeesandexpensesyoupaywhenyoucloseonyourhouse,beyondthe downpayment.Thesecostscanrun3-5%oftheloanamountandmayincludetitle insurance,attorneyfees,appraisals,taxesandmore.Ihaveaclosingcostcalculator.

After selling our house Middy became a trusted agent to our family. She did an excellent job taking care of every detail needed to sell our house. We are not local to Florida Miami, so there was always potential for bumps in the road-- but she made sure things went smoothly. When contacted with questions, she responded within minutes-- every time. We recommend her to anyone looking to buy or sell a home!

Judge Frankie, Brighton

I’ve had the privilege of working with Middy She is so professional and has such high integrity. She always goes above and beyond what is required and will do whatever she can to make sure you have the best experience possible.

Jameel Islam, Ann Arbor

For the past few months I was stressed by my dreams of buying a home that seemed impossible. Middy helped me realize and make my dreams come true during a few visits to potential homes. She negotiated with us and found a home willing to work with us. We're now living in our new house, and wife, son, and daughter love it.

Hammas M, Dexter

I was looking for a condo, and I reached out to Middy to help She did a great job and was very professional. She went above and beyond what most people are willing to do, which speaks volumes about her character. I'm very thankful for her assistance and would highly recommend her!

Asad Freed, Ann Arbor

My agent,Middy , was extremely helpful, open, and transparent throughout the process - she cared about my needs every step of the way. I highly recommend her for all your real estate needs.

Ethan Arlo, Whitmore Lake

We had a new baby on the way and found it difficult to juggle the real estate industry. Middy knew everything there was to know about it and made the process feel effortless. She helped us find our dream home, which we couldn't be happier with! We'll never forget how much she cared and we recommended her to anyone out there

Jesus Morsles, Ypsilanti