Buyers Guide

The Jamison Team Buyer'sGuide

Meet Jessica

Jessica’s passion for Real Estate started when she was searching for her first property. She enjoyed the process from start to finish and decided to turn this passion into a career.

Jessica was born and raised in Tampa, FL and is fluent in Spanish. She has lived in Lutz, Citrus Park, Brandon and Odessa so she is very familiar with the Tampa Bay area.

She joined the Army in 2013 and served with the 4th Infantry Division in Colorado Springs, Colorado. She served for 4 years, including a combat tour to Afghanistan. After completing her duties and separating Honorably, she transitioned into civilian life with that same professionalism by committing to her work and achieving all of her client's wishes. In her spare time, Jessica enjoys exploring different events around Tampa and spending time with her family

Meet the Jamison Team

Keith & Jillian Jamison, Team Managers

Keith and Jillian are the team managers of the Jamison Team. With over 14 years of combined experience they are charged with keeping the team forward thinking and on top of the market so that all of our customers benefit.

Vanessa Landrum, Operations Manager

Vanessa's love of guiding clients through this incredible milestone in their lives lead her down the path of real estate since 2017. Vanessa manages our behind-the-scenes team. She assists in making sure all of our transactions are being taken care of and our customers are in good hands before and after their transaction.

Aubrey Chand, Client Care Coordinator

Aubrey helps coordinate all parts of the transaction once you are under contract. She makes sure all of the deadlines are met and everything runs as smooth as possible. This helps take the stress out of the selling and buying process.

Marianne Knowles,

Senior REALTOR®

Marianne has been with the Jamison Team since 2018. She has become one of the top producers at our office with 37 home sales in 2021. She is well known for providing exemplary customer service and going the extra mile for all of her customers.

Aaron Chand, REALTOR®

Aaron joined our team in 2021. He is a true natural at real estate and extremely knowledgeable about the market. Aaron grew up in India, lived in Hawaii, and now is calling Tampa Bay Home. This diverse background has been key to he and his client's success.

Our Career Sales

Over400homessold!

Testimonials

"The Jamison Team is organized and smart, and responded to our questions quickly and with extra information we didn't even know to ask. Since we were moving from outof-state and they are locals, they were able to direct us in ways we didn't know we needed. They are pleasant to work with and made the experience of finding our perfect home fun and successful. We've already referred friends to them and expect that they'll have the same great results"

-Dennis and Deb Pint

"We have now purchased two homes with the Jamison Team as our agent and we're hoping to purchase another investment property, with The Jamison Team by our side, in the next few years. They are excellent -- proactive, informative, knowledgeable, precise, patient and kind. Thank you, Jamison Team, for being our "go to" real estate team!"

-Trish Wild

“We wanted a beautiful home with a huge backyard, and we found one thanks to The Jamison Team!!! They assisted us in purchasing our first home, it was an absolute pleasure working with them. They guided us through every step of the process and helped eliminate any issues that we ran into. They were there for us every step of our first home purchase process. Their communication with us throughout the process was superb. They were always available and answered all our questions. They were quick to respond to texts and emails. They were always on top of everything. They are very knowledgeable, trustworthy, helpful, punctual, highly organized, and kind. They made our stressful journey of home buying for the first time into an easy process. They were simply outstanding. We feel so lucky to have worked with The Jamison Team and highly recommend them to everyone. Thank you for your exceptional service!!”

-Alexis Mata

"The Jamison Team is the best discovery you will ever make if you need to find your perfect home. They treated us like we were buying a million dollar home, even though we were not! They were extremely attentive to our every request, and helped us buy a home that fit our extensive lists of needs in our price range. We highly recommend The Jamison Team!"

-Charlie and Carolyn Crosby

"We loved working with the Jamison Team! They helped us find our first home. Since we didn’t have the experience of buying a home before, they were the perfect resource for all of our questions and needs. They directed us to all the right contacts along the way and were so patient with us. We’re so happy to have had The Jamison Team as our agents!"

-Jamie and Andrea Rice

"The Jamison Team were very knowledgeable about the homes in the area. They definitely know the market and were able to find us exactly what we wanted in our first home. They worked around the clock to make sure we got the best possible deal on our home and made sure we closed on time. We could not have done it without them. We would highly recommend The Jamison Team to anyone in the market for a new home or looking to sell"

-Stephen and Jaymie DePalo

"The Jamison Team are absolutely AMAZING! They make you feel like VIP and they are extremely client oriented! We worked with 3 other realtors and were not happy with the service so our neighbor recommended Jamison Team! Our property had multiple offers and they worked their magic and beat all the other offers! They are very attentive, responsive and patient! Thank you Jamison Team! You are truly PHENOMENAL and we are beyond thankful for your incredible service! This is our fourth property and we honestly never had better Realtors! Our family is very blessed to have the honor of working with you!! From the bottom of our hearts THANK YOU!"

-Alma Prout

Why Use a Realtor

Many home buyers are under the impression that they will save money if they do not work with a real estate agent. In actuality, the listing agent splits their commission when another real estate agent brings a buyer. The seller has already agreed to the total commission whether a buyer’s agent is involved or not. One of the benefits of working with The Jamison Team is that our services to you are completely complimentary. In addition to this perk, there are several important reasons to use a REALTOR®.

1. Partnership with a professional – A REALTOR® has the experience and expertise to assist you with the purchase of your new home. A REALTOR® will be your advocate and be there to assist in all stages of the transaction.

2. Real Estate regulations – Real estate agents must stay current and knowledgeable on the ever changing real estate laws. We take the required continuing education classes to keep our buyers protected.

3. Finding the right home – Everyone has access to the Internet and are able to search online for a home. However, only a professional real estate agent has the most up to date data and disclosures. Nothing is more irritating than finding the perfect home on your web search to only find out it is no longer available. A REALTOR® will have up to date access to the MLS that helps make the search easier on you.

4. Pricing the home – Buyers need to be able to depend on an expert to determine a fair price for the home they want to make an offer on. Looking at the estimates online are not as accurate as an opinion from a professional who has personally been in the properties.

5. Negotiations – An experienced real estate agent will be able to compile the real estate contract and assist you in crafting an attractive offer. They are able to make this daunting task easy and stress-free for you.

6. Code of ethics – A REALTOR® is required to follow a strict code of ethics that has been in place for over 100 years. The basis of the code of ethics is to ensure that everyone is treated ethically and professionally.

Representation & Relationships

Buyer's Agent Seller's Agent

A Buyer's Agent works solely on behalf of the buyer. Our goal is to help you locate the perfect home. We search our MLS database of homes on the market and send you homes we think will interest you. We then show you the properties you are interested in. Once you find the perfect place, we help you craft an appealing offer on the home while looking out for your best interests. We then walk you through the steps of the entire home buying process to ensure all details are accounted for.

The Seller's Agent represents the owner of the home. They negotiate on behalf of the seller and look out for their best interest. The seller and the Seller's Agent have a compensation agreement where the seller will pay their agent's broker a certain amount at closing. The Seller's Agent then shares a portion of that compensation with the Buyer's Agent at closing.

The Home Buying Process

Select a Real Estate Agent

Analyze your needs on a buyer consultation

Obtain preapproval

Select properties

View properties

Write an offer

Negotiate terms

Accept the contract

Conduct home inspection and negotiate any repairs

Obtain mortgage financing - credit, underwriting, appraisal, survey, insurance

Conduct title search and obtain title insurance

Obtain funds for closing

Close on the property

Move into your new home!

Obtain Preapproval

We recommend buyers get preapproved before beginning their home search. Finding out your buying power at the beginning of the process is imperative to ensure you are looking at homes you can afford.

Getting preapproved allows you to find out the amount of down payment that will be required and how much your closing costs will be so you can plan accordingly.

When the time comes to make an offer on your perfect home, the seller will require this preapproval letter before they consider your offer. It is best to have your ducks in a row rather than risk losing out on the perfect home because you were not prepared.

We highly recommend working with a local lender. Each state has their own rules and guidelines for processing and closing loans. To avoid delays and possibly losing out on your dream home, use a local lender! They are aware of the local market and are best equipped to help. The Jamison Team has several local lenders we work with who will be happy to assist. Please ask if you would like a referral.

Buyer Consultation

This is where we have the opportunity to meet with you in person, on the phone, or via video conference. We get to know your housing wants and needs in detail so we can better assist you in finding the perfect home. We will discuss everything from what we will do to find you a home to what you will need to do to buy a home in today's competitive environment. This is a great time to ask about any concerns or worries you have so we can set you on the path for a successful home buying journey!

Do's and Don't's During the Loan Process

Stay

Dont's

Do not quit or change your job

Do not buy a car, boat, furniture or anything that requires financing

Do not open new credit cards

Do not co-sign a loan with anyone

Do not change bank accounts or make any large monetary transfers/deposits without checking with your lender

Select & View Properties

We will set you up on a customized search and send you properties you may be interested in. You will choose your favorites and we will schedule a time to view these properties on a personal tour. This is when the fun begins!

Keep in mind, we can show you any property you find whether it is on the search we send you or any of the following

New Construction

For Sale By Owner

A home you found online

Other agent's For Sale sign

Other agent's Open House

In a local real estate magazine

We will help you determine a fair market price based on recent sales, answer any questions, gather all disclosures from the seller to ensure you are fully informed and most importantly help you draft an offer that can get you your home!

Write An Offer

Once you find the home you are interested in, it is time to make an offer. This entails putting together a contract, applicable addendums and disclosures. The majority of the contract is standard but there are several areas we can negotiate:

Price

The most important part of determining an offer price is to review recent comparable sales. This is how we will determine a fair market value for your home and develop an offer strategy. In today's market, understanding the market is crucial. With so many homes having multiple offers, going in with your best foot forward is crucial.

Personal Property

This can include appliances, fixtures, above ground hot tubs, and sometimes even furniture.

Earnest Money Deposit

This is the amount of money you agree to give the title company to "hold" the home for you until closing. The deposit goes towards your down payment at closing and you only lose the deposit if you breach the contract. The larger the deposit you give, the more serious of a buyer you look.

Closing Date

We will put an actual closing date you prefer to close on the contract. Typically closings are scheduled 30-45 days out. If you are flexible with the closing date this may help the seller be more apt to accept your offer.

Inspection Period

The shorter the inspection period, the more appealing it is to the seller. Inspection periods are typically around 7 days or shorter.

Appraisal Gaps/Waivers

If offering a price over the asking price to compete with multiple offers, you may have to state you will pay an appraisal shortage in cash to stay competitive. We will talk more about this during your buyer consult, but it is also advised to talk to your lender about how this could affect your loan.

Offer Accepted

Once every detail is negotiated and the offer is accepted there are multiple items that need to be completed and deadlines met. Here is an example of a 4 week closing process:

Week 1

Earnest money deposit is delivered by the buyer to the closing company

Home inspection is scheduled

Mortgage loan application is submitted with your lender - you will be working closely with your lender throughout the entire process

All condo/HOA documents are provided by the seller and reviewed

Title work is ordered by the title company

Week 2

Home inspection is completed and any repairs are negotiated

Appraisal is ordered by the lender

Application is made to the condo association (if applicable)

Week 3

Review the title commitment

Confirm repairs have been completed

Bind a homeowners insurance policy

Week 4

Schedule a closing time with the title company and a final walk-through

Arrange to transfer utilities to your name

Wire the funds to the title company and close on the home!