PRE-QUALIFICATION
Meet with a mortgage broker and find out how much you can afford to pay for a home.
PRE-APPROVAL
While knowing how much you can afford is the first step, sellers will be much more receptive to potential buyers who have been pre-approved. You’ll also avoid being disappointed when going after homes that are out of your price range. With Pre-Approval, the buyer actually applies for a mortgage and receives a commitment in writing from a lender. This way, assuming the home you’re interested in is at or under the amount you are pre-qualified for, the seller knows immediately that you are a serious buyer for that property. Costs for pre-approval are generally nominal and lenders will usually permit you to pay them when you close your loan.
LIST OF NEEDS & WANTS
Make 2 lists. The first should include items you must have (i.e., the number of bedrooms you need for the size of your family, a one-story house if accessibility is a factor, etc.). The second list is your wishes, things you would like to have (pool, den, etc.) but that are not absolutely necessary. Realistically for first-time buyers, you probably will not get everything on your wish list, but it will keep you on track for what
you are looking for.
REPRESENTATION BY A PROFESSIONAL
Consider hiring your own real estate agent, one who is working for you, the buyer, not the seller.
OUR SCALE IS YOUR STRENGTH
With over $1.4 Billion in sales in 2021 alone, The Altman Brothers Team has
exceeded $5 Billion in luxury residential real estate sales. Josh, Matthew and Heather Altman are the most connected, professional, and experienced agents in the industry. Their global network, market knowledge, and dogged drive put them in a league of their own. Backed by their international powerhouse brokerage, Douglas Elliman, their resources are unmatched allowing them to provide the best service possible to each and every one of their clients.