Leave a Message

Thank you for your message. We will be in touch with you shortly.

Buyers Guide

A Step-by-Step First Time Buyer's Guide

Buying a home is one of the most exciting milestones of your life. To prepare yourself for this moment, you need to know what to expect during the process. This step-by-step first time buyer’s guide created by your agent will help reduce the stress of buying a home and help you enjoy the journey as much as possible.

main

Step 1: Research

Do you already know where you want to buy? If you want a condo, townhome, or single-family home? Which features do you like and dislike? What’s available on the market now? If you answered no to any of these questions, now is the time to start researching. In addition to looking for homes that interest you, also take note of any changes in asking prices. This could give you valuable insight into housing trends in specific neighborhoods and help you when the time comes to make an offer.

main

Step 2: Decide on Your Budget

Notice I said to decide on your budget—not determine how much the mortgage company will give you. In many cases, a mortgage company will pre-approve you for more than you’re comfortable spending, which is why you need to determine the monthly payment you feel comfortable with before talking to a lender. This likely includes doing a full household budget and taking into consideration what changes other than a mortgage payment will occur once you move into your new home. If you’ve lived in an apartment or with roommates, you may overlook new expenses like garbage, water, or HOA fees that could easily blow your budget.

main

Step 3: Get Prequalified

Just because you think you can afford a certain payment every month doesn’t mean the mortgage company will agree. Just as they may approve you for too large of an amount, they may also approve you for a lesser amount or deny you a mortgage altogether. Lack of time at a job, insufficient credit, past bankruptcies, or other financial issues can cause major problems when trying to secure a mortgage. Before you get your heart set on a home, talk to a mortgage professional to find out what amount you can qualify for. This will also be an advantage when you make an offer on a home, as some sellers won’t entertain offers from those who aren’t already prequalified for a loan.

main

Step 4: Choose a Real Estate Agent

Can you shop for, look at, and ultimately make an offer on a home without a real estate agent? Technically yes, but why would you when it costs you nothing for an agent like me to take much of the stress off your shoulders? Not only will I help identify properties you might be interested in, arrange showings, and ultimately handle the offer process, but I also have a knowledge of the market that you don’t possess. Finding the perfect home can be a daunting task, this is where my expertise and wealth of knowledge come into play. Let me show you around some homes that meet your dream home criteria so you can find the one that's right for you.

My goal is to provide you with the most personalized service that is designed to help you buy your dream home

Schedule A Consultation
main

Step 5: Find the Right Home

This should be the most enjoyable step of the entire process (other than moving in!). I will arrange showings of homes you’re interested in that are within your price range. Take notes about what you like and don’t like, and make sure to pay attention to details. Turn light switches on and off, open and close doors, and run the faucets in various rooms. Don’t limit your inspection to the home itself. Make sure to take time to explore the neighborhood and keep an eye on traffic at certain times of the day, the parking situation, and how close it is to necessities like schools and grocery stores.

main

Step 6: Make an Offer

Once you have selected the perfect home, work with your agent to craft a fair offer based on the value of comparable homes on the market. Depending on what the home is listed at and whether the current environment is a buyer’s or seller’s market, your offer may be below, at, or even above the asking price. I will be able to help you negotiate if you receive a counteroffer and reach an agreement. At this point, the house will go into escrow.

main

Step 7: Have the Home Inspected

In most cases, your offer will be contingent on having the home inspected to ensure there is no major structural damage or large repairs needed. I can help you arrange this, and you can schedule it within days of making an offer. If there are no major issues, the process goes to step eight. If there is, you can renegotiate your offer based on what needs to be fixed, or you can withdraw it.

main

Step 8: Select Your Loan

Now is the time to go back to the mortgage lender who pre-approved or pre-qualified you and choose your mortgage. You will be presented with various options based on your unique financial situation, including fixed-rate, variable-rate, 15-year, 30-year, or special programs such as VA loans or FHA loans. Work with your mortgage lender to select the option you feel the most comfortable with.

main

Step 9: Get a Home Appraisal

Your lender will have your new home appraised so they have their independent value of it. The appraisal is to ensure that all parties involved are paying a fair price for the house.

main

Step 10: Finish Paperwork

No one looks forward to all the paperwork involved in buying a home, but it’s a necessary part of the process. Fortunately, everything will be arranged by your lender and title company and, when you’re finished, you’ll know you are the legal owner of your new home.

Congratulations!

After signing the final paperwork to complete the purchase, you are now the owner of a new house. It may take a few days for your loan to be funded once the paperwork has been returned to the lender, but once that check is delivered to the seller, you’ll be all set to move into the home of your dreams. 

what clients are saying

1
Buyer & Seller
I had a great experience selling my house with Oguz as my realtor. He was wonderful to work with and was able to sell my house for full price. Oguz sold my house in three months and helped me buy my new apartment at the same time. He made everything very easy to navigate and was always available and helpful. I wouldn’t work with anyone else!
2
Wilmide W.
Oguz is Amazing. He is the type of realtor you want! He is patient, very knowledgeable, and a shark at negotiating. Once he understands what you want, he will not let you settle for anything less!
3
Buyer
Oguz is the best, the most dedicated, and the most reliable realtor ever. I have had the pleasure of working with him for the past two years on multiple real estate transactions. Oguz helped me rent a perfect home last year and also assisted my friends in finding a house they enjoyed. Most recently, I purchased my first home. Everyone says buying a home comes with tons of headaches, and it's proven to be true. However, Oguz guided me through the entire process...
4
Andrew D.
Amazing working with Oguz! He was quick to reply and very persistent in finding the perfect home for me. Everything from the initial conversation to the closing was smooth and easy. 10/10 recommend.
5
Buyer
Oguz is a very professional agent, and we received a lot of help from him. He is truly patient. When we wondered what kind of house would be good for us, Oguz provided excellent suggestions and options. The main thing is that he speaks both English and Chinese fluently, which impressed me. Additionally, he offered and shared resources for house inspection, remodeling, etc. I was so glad to work with him!
6
Dilshat Y.
Very decent professional who is dedicated to achieving clients' satisfaction. Always a great help in getting what I want. Has strong knowledge and vision of investment properties.
7
Serkan B.
Oguz was very helpful. He helped us every step until we got into the apartment. There were some issues with the apartment. He contacted the landlord and solved the problems the same day. He worked hard and responded right away. Thanks for all.
View All

Home Search

Portfolio

Testimonials

Work With Oguz

With deep knowledge of the South Florida market and a commitment to personalized service, I’ll ensure your buying or selling experience is smooth, successful, and stress-free.

let's connect

Follow Me on Instagram

Contact Details

Oguz Elyas

Phone

(305) 619-4683

Email

[email protected]

Address

1200 S Pine Island Rd Ste 600 Pembroke Pines FL 33324

Submit a Message

Message sent successfully!