A Guide to Buying Your First Home In 2022

Ready to buy your first home in either the West Bend or Green Lake area? Emmer Real Estate specializes in helping first-time home buyers like you find their dream property in both the West Bend and Green Lake areas!

Before you start searching for homes online, it’s important to take the first step to house shopping: Getting pre-approved for a mortgage.

Your pre-approval will tell you what you can afford and what your monthly payment will be, so it’s important to determine this before you start searching for your new home.

A pre-approval is good for about 30-90 days, so once you’re ready, take these first 3 steps to get it done:

1. Contact us, and we will send over a list of lenders we know and trust.
2. Look over the list, check out online reviews, and ask friends and family for referrals.
3. Email 2-3 lenders you like or let us introduce you over email.

Once you’ve got your pre-approval letter in hand, it’s time to start the search!

Before we hop into the home search, we like to advise our clients to create a “Needs” list and a “Wants” list. This will help us to really focus on the things that are most important in your future home.

Needs are the non-negotiable features; the features you simply must have in your next home. Wants are the ones you’d like to have, but you can add or change down the road. Remember, you can’t change the lot or the location so make sure you love both.

Once you’ve established what you’re looking for, we will set you up on a search so you can receive an email the second a home that fits your criteria goes live. If you have any questions about a property, send us the information and we will find out for you. Once you see a listing that you like and we can get more information and set up showings on your behalf.

After touring houses and choosing the one you love, it’s time to make an offer. To do this, you’ll need your pre-approval letter or proof of funds. You’ll also need to make an escrow deposit of at least 1-2% of the purchase price. This will go towards your closing costs at closing.

Have more questions about buying a home or what happens after making an offer? Reach out to us today!