BUYER'S GUIDE
FIND YOUR DREAM HOME WITH THE AGAVE REAL ESTATE GROUP
Prepared for you by: Lorena Torres
ABOUT US
We are the Agave Real Estate Group
Our mission is to create life long relationships with our clients and work by referral. We care about you and will be there to help you reach your real estate goals, which in turn, will help you reach your personal goals.
The Agave Real Estate Group is one of the top producing Teams in the Southwest! You are in good hands when you decide to hire us for any of your real estate needs. We are using the same systems, models, trainings & coaching that all of the Top Producing Teams are using all over the country. We bring a BIG presence to a small town!
MEET THE TEAM
CYNTHIA LOPEZ
OWNER + REAL ESTATE SPECIALIST
18 years of experience
LISTING QUEEN
STAGING SPECIALIST
FARM & RANCH
NEW CONSTRUCTION
AUSTIN THARP
REAL ESTATE SPECIALIST
Cheif Operating Officer
8 years of experience FARM & RANCH
COMMERICAL
LICENSED CONTRACTOR
NEW CONSTRUCTION
MICHAH GRAY
REAL ESTATE SPECIALIST
Las Cruces & Ruidoso
Servicing Las Cruces, Alamogordo, Ruidoso and Cloudcroft NM
Commercial
New Construction
Rhayan Araiza
REAL ESTATE SPECIALIST Director of Media
Relocation Specialist
New Construction
Multi-Famliy
Commercial
WE'RE HERE TO HELP YOU
Anyone who works with our team will be working with true professionals that are highly-trained and focused on meeting clients’ needs.
JOHN GATELY
REAL ESTATE SPECIALIST
Math & Renewable Energy Educator
Negotiation Expert
Investments
New Construction
Residential Resale
LORENA TORRES
REAL ESTATE SPECIALIST
Dance Instructor~ Lo Flow Free Flow
Experienced Listing Broker
First Time Seller/Buyer Expert
Resource and Network Specialist
Dance Enthusiast-Creator of LoFlo
CHARMAINE SALBAVARO
ADMIN/TRANSACTION ASSISTANT
Charmaine has a BS degree in Computer Science. She has worked in the real estate industry with Agave Real Estate Group for nearly six years and worked with business processes and outsourcing for more than a decade. She is detail-oriented, dedicated, and works tirelessly on and off the clock to make sure each transaction runs seamlessly!
ERIKA HOYOS
LISTING COORDINATOR
Erika's vibrant personality, marked by optimism and an outgoing nature, has played a pivotal role in her success. She understands the importance of building strong relationships, not just with clients but also within the real estate community. Her family-oriented values shine through in every transaction, creating an atmosphere of trust and reliability.
Lorena embarked on her real estate journey with a determination to not only succeed but also to make a positive impact on the lives of her clients. She possesses an in-depth understanding of the intricate details that make each transaction unique. Lorena’s clients often commend her for her meticulous attention to detail, ensuring that every aspect of a deal is thoroughly examined and executed. Her ability to maintain a perfect balance of professionalism and fun has turned working with her into an enjoyable and memorable experience for all involved.
HOME BUYER'S ROADMAP
2 1
FIND REALTOR FINANCIALS
Match with an agent that you feel comfortable with
3
Get your finances in order, get a credit check, and get pre-approved for a mortgage SEARCH
5 6
APPRAISAL
Arrange for a professional appraiser to visit the home and determine a value
7
SCHEDULE MOVE
Schedule your move date and arrange for movers
INSPECTION
Arrange for a professional home inspector to vist the home
8
CLOSING
Get your keys and celebrate your new home!
Begin your search! Look online and in classifieds
4
OFFER
Make your offer for the home and prepare to negotiate
Note: This is only a high level overview of a buy-side process. For more detailed steps, please refer to your real estate agent.
PREPARING TO BUY
FINANCIAL
DETERMINE YOUR BUDGET
It is recommended that you stay within a budget of 3-5 times your annual income whenpurchasinganewhome.
When determine your mortgage, don't forget other factors like: downpayment, legal fees, taxes, home inspection costs, appraisercosts,andrenovationcosts.
HOW MUCH SHOULD YOUR DOWNPAYMENT BE?
A 3-5% downpayment is the most common, however, it is not your only option!
Have a discussion with your lender to determine what works best for your scenario.
FINANCIAL
02
CREDIT SCORE CHECK
Your lender will likely perform a credit check prior to approving a mortgage and determining your interest rate. The most ideal range will be 620 or above.
The better your score, the lower the interest rate you will be charged on your mortgage.
PRE-APPROVAL
Obtaining a pre-approval on your mortgage will help you in many ways. First it will help you determine your budget, and help you stay within your means. Second it shows the seller that you are serious about purchasing a home, and that you have the funds necessary to complete the purchase.
Although you are pre-approved for a loan, does not mean that you will be guaranteed this amount in your final mortgage. You will still have to be approved for a mortgage after you have submitted an offer.
It is important not to make any significant purchases or alter your credit score in any way during this time.
HOME
TOUR HOMES
HOME SEARCHING TIPS
Be sure to make a list of your must haves, wants, and don't cares.
As you go through the viewings, make sure you check off all your must haves.
Once you find a house you love, you can make an official offer to the seller.
Take photos as you go through the open houses so you remember the layout and the feel of each house you visit.
Pay attention to features of the property that are fixed such as the neighborhood, the lot size, and the orientation of the home. Don't pay too much attention to the colors of the walls or the furniture.
Be sure to check out the small details like the light switches, water features, and appliances to make sure everything works.
04 MAKE AN OFFER
Once you find a house you love, you can make an official offer to the seller.
Don't be afraid to make an offer below the listed price. Sellers often price higher than they would be willing to sell for.
NEGOTIATE AN OFFER
Be prepared to receive a counter-offer, and don't be afraid to bargain for your purchase.
Be sure to know what you are buying and ensure that you feel the price is fair at the end of the day.
INSPECTION 05
Feel free to ask your inspector to take pictures and be descriptive in their report.
You can also ask for a meeting with the inspector to better understand their findings.
Once the inspection is complete, you can discuss and negotiate with the seller any final points.
Make sure that you allow for an inspection to be completed prior to the closing of the sale.
It is important to know as much about your home as possible.
If anything serious comes out of the inspection, you have an option to back out of the agreement, or gives you more negotiating power.
Other checks you should run prior to finalizing the purchase of your new home:
1. Appraisal
2. Property title search
Your lender will also want a formal appraisal of the home prior to issuing your loan.
Be sure to arrange home insurance for your new property!
APPRAISAL & LOAN APPROVAL 06
The lender will review any and all financial related forms and information prior to granting the loan.
They will review details like: Your income
Credit check
Employment status
CLOSING and MOVING
SCHEDULE YOUR MOVE
Some things you will want to keep in mind closer to your move date:
Movers
Renovators/ contractors
Utilities
Cleaners
Mail Forwarding
CLOSING
Closing is the final step for you to become the legal owner of your home. You will take a final walk-through just before closing to assure that negotiated work has been completed and everything is in working order.
The closing process itself requires a lot of paperwork and patience. Be prepared with your government issued photo ID, cashier's check and any other documents required by the title company or loan officer.
Don't forget to re-key all the locks and change the garage door opener code when the property is officially yours.
Congratulations on your new home!
CUSTOMER TESTIMONIALS
Austin is an amazing agent he helped me purchase a home after a stressful time he is attentive and communicative. He was very reassuring and helpful. Willing to work with you as much as possible and very kind. I would refer him to anyone who will listen! Great experience thank you!
Aubry R.
As someone whose bought and sold many properties, I've learned that it's worth spending a few extra dollars for a quality realtor. Cynthia and her team did a great job running interference for a difficult buyer. I will definitely use Cynthia and her team again!
Ron H.
Rhyan was so positive during the entire experience! That was the best thing we could ask for with everything on our plate during our move. He handled everything efficiently and explained everything so we could understand the entire process.
Larissa P.
We had the pleasure of working with Lorena and I couldn’t be more pleased with the experience. From our first meeting, Lorena was incredibly attentive, professional, and knowledgeable about the market. She took the time to understand our needs and preferences and always kept our best interests in mind. Whether it was answering questions promptly or negotiating on our behalf, we felt supported every step of the way. Thanks to her hard work and expertise, we found our perfect home! I highly recommend Lorena to anyone looking for a dedicated and trustworthy real estate professional!..
Marisol & Noah
Micah and the team were FANTASTIC, every step of the way from the moment I contacted them. My time was extremely limited and they fit my needs perfectly. My family and I greatly appreciate all the hard work they did for us.
Chloe O.
REAL ESTATE TERMS
PRE-APPROVAL
A pre-approval is the first step to obtaining a mortgage to purchase your home. The banker will perform an analysis on your income, debt, and credit-worthiness. You will need one in order to be ready to put an offer on a house.
OFFER
An offer is a preliminary agreement to purchase a home, and is set between a buyer and a seller.
CONTINGENCY
A contingency related to a property is when the preliminary offer is accepted, pending certain conditions that need to be met.
CLOSING COST
The closing cost is the amount that is paid, in addition to the sale price. This can include: taxes, insurance and lender expenses.
GOOD FAITH MONEY
Good faith money is the balance of funds that is sent to the escrow company and held there to show the buyer is serious about the purchase.
TITLE SEARCH
A title search will confirm that the property that is being sold in fact belongs to the seller.
APPRAISAL
An appraisal is the value that is assigned to the real estate asset based on an assessment of the asset, neighborhood, market condition, and more.
HOME INSPECTION
A home inspection is an official review of the real estate asset's current condition. They will help to determine if there is any work needed to be done to the property to bring it to normal working order.
DISCLOSURES
The disclosures related to a property will include everything that the sellers know about the property, including any areas that need repairs.
CLOSING
The closing part of the real estate sale is when the money and keys are exchanged. The propety is changed/recorded from the previous owners name into the new owners name at the county.
ELECTRICAL
Evan Espana
575.222.3649
Beehive Electrical
575.635.1377
PROFESSIONAL MOVERS
Big Guys Movers........ 575.373.5906
www.bigguysmovers.com
LANDSCAPING & OUTDOOR
Luis Enriquez
575.528.8051
Amaya’s Maintenance
575.621.1415
PLUMBING
Mario Munoz
A List Home Repair
575.288.7915
Maddox Plumbing
575.526.3929
HOME INSPECTORS
Marty Alberson ...................
406.861.1660
Inspection Connection ........ 575.202.2457
AAA Home Inspection ........ 915.920.1282
Integrity Inspections ........ 915.201.3694
Las Cruces Inspections ........ 575.642.6170
SEPTIC INSPECTOR
DeLaO Septic Services ........ 915.642.2409
Triple R Septic............. 575.639.4016
*Agave Group is not responsible for any vendors mentioned above. Its each persons responsibiltiy to interview & hire them*
