Find your dream home.
World-Class Team
We are a group of highly skilled individuals that understand that together we bring unmatched excellence in every step of the transaction and beyond.
Our Mission Statement: To improve lives through relationships grounded in serving our clients, co-workers, and community above ourselves.
We understand that buying or selling a home is more than just a transaction: it’s a life-changing experience. That’s why our team of highly-seasoned real estate professionals provide exceptional, personalized service for all our clients. We take great pride in the relationships we build and always work relentlessly on the client’s behalf to help them achieve their real estate goals.
We educate and advise relationally.
Justin Landis Group Home Buyer Workbook
PurchaseProcess
Home Buyer Strategy Session
We will meet up to dig deep into your home buying goals. We’ll talk through location, timeline, and home specifics What are your hopes & dreams?
Talk to a Local Lender Exploratory
How much can you afford? Connect with a local lender. We have great lenders that we work with and are happy to connect you!
Day!
I’ll get you set up on an MLS search to keep you notified of homes hitting the market Then, time to get out and see some homes!
Fall in Love! Write Offer
Craft a competitive offer! I'll guide you through all the strategic options to make your offer stand out in today's market 11
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Justin Landis Group Home Buyer Workbook
Offer Accepted: Under Contract
Wire earnest money, schedule inspections, start on forms from lender and closing attorney
Complete all inspections If necessary, second round of negotiations
Complete appraisal, lending documents, and insurance
Wire money to closing attorney Sign paperwork at the attorney's office, or close with a mail away if needed
Move In & 5 Star Review!
Move in and welcome home! Write a 5 Star Review and tell your friends and family. A referral is our highest compliment! 5 5 6 6 7 7 8 8 Justin Landis Group Home Buyer Workbook
Lending
Use a trusted local lender. It is important to select a lender that has aggressive timelines and a strong reputation to give the seller peace of mind and confidence that you will close on time with minimal hiccups.
Why should I talk to a local lender?
Having the funds to pay for your new home is a critical factor in the home buying process and having a GREAT lender allows for a smooth experience from start to finish. Creating a relationship with a great lender early in the process allows buyers to not only determine what they can afford, but also provides an opportunity to ask some of your most pressing questions.
What information does a mortgage lender need?
Lenders will ask for your personal information including your employment information, other income sources, assets, and liabilities.
Justin Landis Group Home Buyer Workbook
How much can I afford?
Your lender will be able to discuss this with you in detail. A few factors to keep in mind that will affect affordability will be the cash you have available for your down payment and closing costs, creditworthiness, income, assets, and liabilities.
Financing Terms:
Pre-Qualified: Just a credit check
Pre-Approval: Quick review of finances
Pre-Underwritten: Full review of all financial documents
Justin Landis Group Home Buyer Workbook
JLG Buyer Relationship Agreement
Our Exclusive Buyer Brokerage Engagement Agreement spells out how we will work together. It is signed by the buyer(s), the agent and the brokerage and outlines the terms of the relationship including:
What my responsibility is to you and our agreed-upon compensation for buyer’s agent services. How information is provided throughout your home search and offer. Communicating with and working with listing agents.
We will work together to agree on how much I, as your trusted advisor, will get compensated in the event that you purchase a home. The amount of compensation may be a percentage of the purchase price or a flat dollar amount.
HOW BUYER’S AGENTS GET PAID
Understanding The Options
By the Buyer
A buyer may pay the compensation directly to the Buyer’s Agent at Closing
Through Sales Contract Negotiation
Sales contract terms can include multiple options for compensating the Buyer's Agent, even if compensation was not initially offered
By the Seller
When listing a home, the seller may offer co-operative compensation that would pay a buyer’s agent, fully or partially
Justin Landis Group Home Buyer Workbook
My highest priority is helping you find and purchase a home that meets your goals.
I will focus on searching for homes that match your desired criteria, location and budget. If one of your criteria is co-operative compensation, you can direct me to show you:
All properties, regardless of whether the seller is offering to pay co-operative compensation
Properties where the seller is offering to pay a portion of the co-operative compensation
Only those properties where the seller is offering co-operative compensation that is equal to or greater than what we have agreed I will be paid
Justin Landis Group Home Buyer Workbook
Writing an Offer
There are 5 primary terms to keep in mind:
Purchase Price 1.
Closing Costs (to be paid by Seller) 2. Closing & Possession Date 3. Earnest Money 4. Due Diligence 5.
Note: Purchase Price can be affected by many factors including number of days on the market, condition, location, buyer activity, and urgency of the seller. If a home is priced right, in a desirable location, of good condition, and has only been on the market for a day, Buyers should expect to pay list price or more.
Submitting an Offer
Once all terms have been discussed, we will write up an offer which will be signed by you and then presented to the Listing Agent. Signing will take place electronically using a service called DotLoop. Once the offer has been presented to the Seller, the Seller will do one of the following: accept, reject, or counteroffer. When the Seller accepts the offer (or when the buyer accepts a counteroffer) it then becomes the legal contract that is the guide for the rest of the home buying process.
Justin Landis Group Home Buyer Workbook
Under Contract
Congratulations!
Your time under contract begins when your offer has been accepted and executed by both the seller and the listing agent. Your sale is not final.
As your trusted advisors, we educate every step of the transaction.
Justin Landis Group Home Buyer Workbook
A Sample Timeline
Binding Agreement Date
This is when all parties have signed off on the terms in the Purchase and Sale Agreement. Due diligence starts the day after we go binding which is why this is Day 0.
Earnest Money Due
Typically, earnest money is about 1-2% of the purchase price and due 3 to 5 days after a Binding Agreement.
Due Diligence Period
In a typical market, the due diligence period spans 0-10 days after an offer goes binding, but this time period is negotiable. Buyers typically associate due diligence with getting an inspection but this is also a time that you should be doing all due diligence and researching other factors that may influence your decision to go through with the contract.
Financing & Appraisal Contingencies
Financing and appraisal contingencies need to be settled typically within 14-21 days of a 30-day closing. These days are used to complete the mortgage loan approval process to ensure that you will be “cleared to close” by closing day, to have the home appraised, and to secure hazard insurance on the home.
Closing Day!
Closing day is when the parties come together to sign all the necessary legal documents to convey possession to you. If a house has been vacant you can probably take possession on closing day. However, if the Sellers are scheduled to move after closing, you may not be able to take possession until a couple days after closing.
Justin Landis Group Home Buyer Workbook
Due Diligence
Due diligence is a critical time in the home buying process. Georgia is a “Buyer Beware” state, therefore the responsibility largely falls on the buyer to discover any issues with a property before purchasing it. We will work to find out as much as we can about the house. There are several different types of inspections and other things to keep in mind.
We are committed to providing first-class service and working with trusted vendors. You are welcome to use any inspector of your choice, or I am happy to help coordinate one for you!
Justin Landis Group Home Buyer Workbook
Home Inspection
The GREATEST VALUE of a Home Inspection comes from accompanying the Inspector for the walkthrough. During the walkthrough you will learn about the operation, care, and maintenance of your investment. While inspectors do their absolute best to thoroughly examine the property, it's important to understand that no inspection can uncover every possible issue - some problems may only become apparent after living in the home. In fact, it's normal and expected that all homes will have some maintenance issues or repairs needed after closing. Keep in mind that the Inspector works for you and their job is to find issues with the home.
Specialty Inspections
Special inspections may include Radon Testing, Sewer Scopes, Mold Testing, Termite Inspection, etc.
Surveys
While most lenders do not require a survey to purchase a home, surveys can protect your investment. Surveys show exactly where a home’s property lines are and any easements, encroachments or other material facts that might exist on the lot.
Review Disclosures (when available)
Disclosures are completed by the Seller and reveal certain material facts about a home like the age of the systems, any previous damage or repairs, HOA fees when applicable, etc.
Condos
Condos and Townhomes usually require an extra layer of due diligence. Buyers should always review Covenants, By-Laws, Rules and Regulations, financial statements, and whatever else is available.
Justin Landis Group Home Buyer Workbook
Financing & Appraisal
From the end of Due Diligence until Closing Day, the Lender and Attorney are working hard in the background to ensure a smooth closing. The majority of that time is spent finalizing your financing.
We have decades of experience with trusted lenders and attorneys.
Justin Landis Group Home Buyer Workbook
Appraisal
Your lender will order the appraisal. When obtaining a loan an appraisal is required to ensure the property is valued at or above the purchase price. An appraiser will evaluate your (soon to be) home as well as comparable properties nearby that have recently sold to declare an opinion of value.
Homeowners Insurance
Homeowners (or Condo) Insurance protects your investment and the Bank’s interest in the property. You can begin shopping for homeowner’s insurance at any point in the process, but as we get closer to closing the Lender will need it to finalize the loan.
Closing Disclosure
Your Lender will send your Closing Disclosure (CD) at least 3 days before closing. The CD shows all credits and debits associated with the transaction and how much money you will need to wire to the closing attorney.
Settlement Statement
A Settlement Statement will be provided by the Attorney a day or so before closing. This will show the same information as the CD the Lender sent but in a different format. It’s important to note that occasionally the CD does not perfectly match the settlement statement and certain Prorations are outstanding.
Utilities
A week before closing we will provide a list of utility providers and contact information to set up/transfer your utilities
*Note: Water/sewer service: Many counties require your Settlement Statement to create your water account. This means that you will have to set it up after closing.
Justin Landis Group Home Buyer Workbook
Closing
Final Walkthrough
We will conduct a final walkthrough of the property typically 1-3 days before closing to make sure everything looks good. If repairs were done, we will take another look at those, but if no repairs were negotiated the purpose of the walkthrough is to ensure that the house is as it was when we went under contract.
Justin Landis Group Home Buyer Workbook
Repairs
If repairs were negotiated after the inspection, then we will ensure those are completed 3-5 days before closing and that the Seller provides all repair receipts.
Wire Money to the Attorney
It is important to first note where your down payment and closing funds are coming from. Assuming the money is fairly easy to get to, the day before closing you will send a wire with all the money needed to close. This will be labeled as “Cash to Close” on your CD. Prior to initiating any wire transfer at your financial institution, contact the closing attorney's office directly to verify the wire instructions. This additional security measure helps safeguard your transaction and ensures accurate fund transmission.
Closing Day
Bring your checkbook (just in case) and do some hand stretches because you will be signing a lot. Closing day is the day that you sign for your loan and the Seller signs to transfer title. Get the keys and move in!
Justin Landis Group Home Buyer Workbook
Welcome Home
What is Next?
Homestead Exemption
A homestead exemption is a legal provision that helps reduce the amount of property taxes you pay on your home and saves you money. Applications are due by April 1 of each year for the previous year. We will send you more information on this once we close and at the first of the year.
Homeowner Resources
Whether you need a repair, are looking to do a renovation, or just need a great connection, we are here to help. Visit our website to find contact information for our favorite vendors in Atlanta.
5 Star Review/Tell All Your Friends
You will receive an email following closing asking about your home buying experience. We would be love for you to share your story publicly as well as spread the word to your friends and family.
