1. Contact a Realtor®
Paul DeCarlo, Realtor®
(205) 677-TIME (8463)
CONTACT
PAUL BY EMAIL |
Not all real estate agents are
Realtors! Realtors, such as Paul DeCarlo, abide
by a Code
of Ethics and receive training through their
local association.
Your real estate agent will begin discussing
a number of issues with you such as the type of
house you are looking for financing options, your
time frame, etc.. |
| 2. Contact a Mortgage Company |
If you are planning to finance any or all of your
house purchase, you probably want to seek out a
professional loan officer and a reputable organization
with good interest rates. You can find a few mortgage
professionals at
this website by clicking here. You should ask
your mortgage professional what price range you
qualify for and make sure that the payments fit
your budget. |
| 3. Make a List! |
Next, answer a few of these questions to find
out more about the home you are seeking. Paul
DeCarlo will discuss these with you in more detail,
but putting a pen to paper will go a long way
in helping you.
- What price range are you seeking?
- How much should you put down?
- How many bedrooms, bathrooms?
- What age of home is acceptable?
- What area of Birmingham?
- Townhome? Condo? 2 Story Home?
- How much land do you need?
- Are school systems important?
And you can use
THIS FORM to answer all these questions and
more. The form will email Paul DeCarlo your requests
and you will be automatically emailed homes that
match your search criteria. |
| 4. Find A Home! |
Here are 3 ways you can find your perfect home!
- Use
This Form and Paul will search for you
- Search Online using THIS
LINK
- Contact Paul by phone or email
Once Paul DeCarlo and you have found a home through
research, Paul will set up appointments to view
the properties in person. |
NOTE: |
You may want to drive on your own through some
of the neighborhoods to get an idea for yourself
what the community offers. |
| 5. Write an Offer |
It's important to get the offer right! Paul DeCarlo
uses sales history in the area as well as other
pricing techniques to help you make the best offer.
Paul will represent you to negotiate the sales price
confidentially. You MUST be able to trust your real
estate agent, and Paul is one you can count on! |
NOTE: |
Items to take into consideration when writing
the offer:
- What is the home's condition?
- Does the seller have an existing survey?
- Does the seller have an active termite contract?
- Is the house in a flood area? Can this be
verified?
- Will the home appraise for the price offered?
- Does the owner have a clean Title?
- What day do you want to close?
- What day do you want to move in?
- What closing attorney will you use?
- How much earnest money do you need?
- Who will you use for your Home Inspection?
- Has the seller paid all taxes?
Paul DeCarlo will help you through all these
items! |
| 6. Negotiate the details |
After price has been negotiated, other items should
be negotiated. For example, once the inspection
has been completed, some correction/repairs may
be needed. Who will repair these items? Will the
seller offer a money allowance? |
| 7. Order an Inspection! |
Paul believes that all homes should be inspected.
Alabama is a "Buyer Beware" state, and
some latent defects may be present. Real estate
agents can only rely on an inspector to find such
defects. You can find a list
of inspectors on this site by clicking here. |
| 8. Go to Closing |
When you go to a closing, a real estate attorney
processes the paperwork and explains the mortgage
details to you. Typically, a closing attorney does
NOT represent the buyer OR seller. They are there
to make sure the paperwork is processed properly
and answer questions you or the seller may have. |
NOTE: |
A HUD or Settlement Statement is used at ALL closings.
This statement shows the actual dollar amounts on
each side. The seller's side and the buyer's side
of the statement show details including tax credits/debits,
etc.. |
| 9. Take Possession |
After the closing, you will move into your new
home according to the date specified in the contract.
Some buyers move in immediately, other buyers allow
the seller 24 or 48 hours to move out. This is all
negotiated prior to closing and MUST be written
in the contract and agreed upon by all parties. |
10. Invite your Real Estate Agent
over once you settle in!
Hello,
My name is Paul DeCarlo, and I ALWAYS help my
clients through the process of purchasing a home
in a timely and convenient manner. There are NO
CHARGES associated with my buyer services. The
seller pays all commissions.
Many first time home buyers have utilized my
services to explain all the steps in detail to
find their home. Buying a house is a serious and
important process.
I've worked with a large number of families relocating
to our area. If you are relocating, please take
advantage of my services and allow me to send
you a large map of the Birmingham area along with
helpful information.
Thank you for considering me for your real estate
needs. My slogan is "Finding and Fitting
the needs of my clients!"
Sincerely,
|
