Are you buying a home in Sioux City? Pro-Link Realty can help.

	When you're ready to get started, simply contact us here or send e-mail to info@pro-linkrealty.com. We are happy to answer questions you have regarding this information.

Step 1 – Get ready to purchase a home
There are several things you need to do prior to beginning your home search. It's likely that you'll want to make an outline of items you need, get a feeling for what school districts you'd like to live in, and start working on your budget. Keeping your mortgage payment less than or close to 1/3 of your monthly income is a good rule of thumb to adhere to.

Step 2 – Get with a real estate agent in Sioux City
This is where Pro-Link Realty comes in. We would be more than happy to schedule a time to get together with you and speak with you about your real estate needs and get an idea of your plans for the future. We'll discuss the mortgage industry, other economic factors that may potentially affect your buying decision today or in the future, as well as neighborhoods and school districts in the Siouxland area.

We will also help you get started on your loan. There are some great mortgage professionals in Sioux City, and we work with a lot of them, so you'll be in great hands. They can help you choose which type of loan is best for you, as well as help you get qualified.

Step 3 – Begin house hunting
Following our first meeting, we will start finding houses on the market that meet your needs. We will preview many of the homes and remove the bad ones, and then we'll schedule appointments to view the homes when it's most convenient for you.

When we view the houses, we will call attention to good features and negative ones. And we'll ask you about things you like and don't like. For the most part, buyers update their list of must-haves as we tour houses and some features become more essential than others. If that's the case, we will look through the listings once more and trim it down to the home you've been dreaming about.

Step 4 – Know the market
Our awareness of the Siouxland home market is a necessary benefit in your search. We are familiar with all the school districts and neighborhoods, and we will alert you to certain neighborhoods are "hot" and call for prompt action and others that are "cool" and allow for careful analysis.

Step 5 – Find the home you've been waiting for
We are certain we'll find the house of your dreams in Sioux City. When that happens, we will carefully create your home purchase offer. The offer will be tailored with your needs in mind, including many contingencies. A few examples are acquiring financing, carrying out the home inspection, and a clear title.

Upon presenting your offer, you'll likely need to submit "earnest money." This is a cash deposit given to the home seller to secure the offer to buy the property, and it's often applied to the cost of closing. If your offer is accepted, we should close on the home about 30 to 60 days after. This allows plenty of time for your mortgage financing.

Step 6 – Negotiate
Unfortunately most contracts aren't closed on the first offer – it's really common to receive a counter offer. Don't let it intimidate you. We'll figure out whether or not to accept the counter offer, present our own counter offer, or reject the seller's offer and move on.

The state of the market will play a part in how aggressively we negotiate the deal. In addition, we'll work within your budget. And when it's all said and done, we'll compose a deal that works well for you.

Step 7 – Get financing
Upon completion of the deal, you'll start working with your mortgage lender to close the loan. If you're already pre-qualified, it shouldn't take long at all. However, you'll want to keep in close contact with your lender. And we'll take care of all the property information your mortgage lender will need to close the loan.

Step 8 – Close the deal
Your lender will provide you with a Good Faith Estimate (GFE) detailing your closing costs within three days of receiving your loan application. You'll get a Good Faith Estimate (GFE) of closing costs from your mortgage lender within three days of accepting your loan application. This estimate is based on the loan amount, and RESPA requirements mandate that it has to contain all closing costs and be within a narrow range of accuracy. We'll analyze the estimate and let you know if everything looks adequate.

Then we'll close on your house. This will likely happen at a title company or escrow office and will likely be a smooth and pleasant affair.

Step 9 – Move in
You made it! Now you can move into your new house. Enjoy it. And if you have any questions, simply contact us at 712-224-2300 or send me an e-mail.