Who’s Involved When You Buy a Home?

As a first-time home buyer, you might be a little lost on who you’ll expect to encounter along the way. Sure, you know you’ll have to find a lender and an estate agent, but who else? We’ve collated this home buying process checklist of the faces you’ll meet, or at least be impacted by on your way to getting your keys.

Real Estate Buyer’s Agent

This is the first and most important person you’ll meet throughout this entire process, directing you to the homes within your budget, negotiating for you, and taking you through the process step by step. Try to use an agent with no affiliation to the seller, as otherwise, you could risk the side effects of a conflict of interest.

Listing Agent

The listing agent is essentially the seller’s answer to your buyer’s agent, and the two agents will congress and negotiate on things like prices, inspections, and repair requests.

Tax Advisor

Meeting with a tax advisor isn’t a necessity when buying a home, rather just good practice. Whether buying a home with gifted funds, as an investment, using money from your 401K, or utilizing business funds to make a down payment, consulting with a tax advisor is a smart move before taking any irreversible steps.

Mortgage Company/Lender

Choosing the right mortgage company is utterly vital when it comes to buying a house, as the wrong firm might try to take you for a ride. Get in early with a good mortgage provider because a preapproval will give you a lot more freedom when househunting. Credit score requirements will vary between firms, so just make sure to review your options.

Appraiser

Appraisers are independent parties who value potential homes based on their own analysis. The lender will select your appraiser, but you’ll have to pay their fee. Appraisers have been known to discover real issues in homes at late stages, which throws the whole deal up in the air.

Insurance Company

A home is a massively valuable asset, so it’s essential to find the right homeowner’s insurance plan for you. Make sure you have coverage that suits your area in terms of potential for weather damage, theft, and other aspects.

Title Company

A title company will make sure that there are no outstanding mortgage payments or liens against the property you’re going to buy, ensuring that your investment is well-protected. They also provide insurance to the owner and lender for the property.

Home Inspector

You’ll pay a home inspector to ensure that the property you’re interested in is actually worth buying. Make sure to choose a reputable company!

Real Estate Attorney

These guys can share responsibility with title companies, but are mostly in place to ensure that no fraud is done on either end and that you can understand all the legal documents you’re presented with.

Hopefully, now that you know who you can expect to come across when buying a home the process is a little smoother! As always, happy househunting!