Buyer's Guide

A Step-by-Step First Time Buyer's Guide

Buying a home is one of the most exciting milestones of your life. To prepare yourself for this moment, you need to know what to expect during the process. This step-by-step first time buyer’s guide created by your agent will help reduce the stress of buying a home and help you enjoy the journey as much as possible.

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Step 1: Research

Do you already know where you want to buy? If you want a condo, townhome, or single-family home? Which features do you like and dislike? What’s available on the market now? If you answered no to any of these questions, now is the time to start researching. In addition to looking for homes that interest you, also take note of any changes in asking prices. This could give you valuable insight into housing trends in specific neighborhoods and help you when the time comes to make an offer.

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Step 2: Decide on Your Budget

Notice I said to decide on your budget—not determine how much the mortgage company will give you. In many cases, a mortgage company will pre-approve you for more than you’re comfortable spending, which is why you need to determine the monthly payment you feel comfortable with before talking to a lender. This likely includes doing a full household budget and taking into consideration what changes other than a mortgage payment will occur once you move into your new home. If you’ve lived in an apartment or with roommates, you may overlook new expenses like garbage, water, or HOA fees that could easily blow your budget.

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Step 3: Get Prequalified

Just because you think you can afford a certain payment every month doesn’t mean the mortgage company will agree. Just as they may approve you for too large of an amount, they may also approve you for a lesser amount or deny you a mortgage altogether. Lack of time at a job, insufficient credit, past bankruptcies, or other financial issues can cause major problems when trying to secure a mortgage. Before you get your heart set on a home, talk to a mortgage professional to find out what amount you can qualify for. This will also be an advantage when you make an offer on a home, as some sellers won’t entertain offers from those who aren’t already prequalified for a loan.

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Step 4: Choose a Real Estate Agent

Can you shop for, look at, and ultimately make an offer on a home without a real estate agent? Technically yes, but why would you when it costs you nothing for an agent like me to take much of the stress off your shoulders? Not only will I help identify properties you might be interested in, arrange showings, and ultimately handle the offer process, but I also have a knowledge of the market that you don’t possess. I may be able to steer you away from certain homes or neighborhoods, suggest hidden gems, or give you pointers that will help you find your dream home for the right price.

My goal is to provide you with the most personalized service that is designed to help you buy your dream home.

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Step 5: Find the Right Home

This should be the most enjoyable step of the entire process (other than moving in!). I will arrange showings of homes you’re interested in that are within your price range. Take notes about what you like and don’t like, and make sure to pay attention to details. Turn light switches on and off, open and close doors, and run the faucets in various rooms. Don’t limit your inspection to the home itself. Make sure to take time to explore the neighborhood and keep an eye on traffic at certain times of the day, the parking situation, and how close it is to necessities like schools and grocery stores.

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Step 6: Make an Offer

Once you have selected the perfect home, work with your agent to craft a fair offer based on the value of comparable homes on the market. Depending on what the home is listed at and whether the current environment is a buyer’s or seller’s market, your offer may be below, at, or even above the asking price. I will be able to help you negotiate if you receive a counteroffer and reach an agreement. At this point, the house will go into escrow.

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Step 7: Have the Home Inspected

In most cases, your offer will be contingent on having the home inspected to ensure there is no major structural damage or large repairs needed. I can help you arrange this, and you can schedule it within days of making an offer. If there are no major issues, the process goes to step eight. If there is, you can renegotiate your offer based on what needs to be fixed, or you can withdraw it.

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Step 8: Select Your Loan

Now is the time to go back to the mortgage lender who pre-approved or pre-qualified you and choose your mortgage. You will be presented with various options based on your unique financial situation, including fixed-rate, variable-rate, 15-year, 30-year, or special programs such as VA loans or FHA loans. Work with your mortgage lender to select the option you feel the most comfortable with.

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Step 9: Get a Home Appraisal

Your lender will have your new home appraised so they have their independent value of it. The appraisal is to ensure that all parties involved are paying a fair price for the house.

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Step 10: Finish Paperwork

No one looks forward to all the paperwork involved in buying a home, but it’s a necessary part of the process. Fortunately, everything will be arranged by your lender and title company and, when you’re finished, you’ll know you are the legal owner of your new home.

Congratulations!

After signing the final paperwork to complete the purchase, you are now the owner of a new house. It may take a few days for your loan to be funded once the paperwork has been returned to the lender, but once that check is delivered to the seller, you’ll be all set to move into the home of your dreams. 

My Testimonials

See why my clients love working with me.
Liez A.

Liez A.

I had a great experience working with Suzi Trinidad. She knew what we were looking for and we're enjoying our new house now! She made the process run smoothly, especially as a first-time homebuyer.
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Seller

Seller

Suzi was amazing in helping us sell our cabin in Big Bear. A resort area sale is difficult but she worked extremely hard and brought us a great buyer and offer for our beloved vacation home. Can’t say enough about her work ethi...
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Rodriguez

Rodriguez

Suzi is awesome! She helped my family the perfect home. She showed us many homes until we found the right one. Suzi also worked around my husband's work schedule to show houses, also phone skills are great for answering and ret...
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Manuel R.

Manuel R.

The sweetest person I’ve ever met! Fast on her feet and reflexes of a lioness when it comes to business! Not did she represent me as a buyer but as a seller also! Highly recommend her as a REALTOR and as a great friend! Thank y...
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Sanchez

Sanchez

Suzi took care of us like we were family, she look out for our best interests. It's my first time buying a home and I thank god that he sent Suzi my way. Suzi made me feel so comfortable and she put my mind at ease. I just want...
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Buyer

Buyer

As first-time home buyers, Suzi was amazing in helping us understand the process every step of the way. Showing up properties listening to our needs and wants. Even calming me down when I got buyers' cold feet. She’s not only o...
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Cari H.

Cari H.

Suzi is really on the ball, and she has lots of patience with difficult clients like me, who drag their feet on things like DocuSign and stuff. And she keeps abreast with current home values, so you can be assured your home for...
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Buyer | Seller

Buyer | Seller

Suzi has been a blessing to our family. She is honest and hardworking and will find a way to make your dreams come true with her awesome team. Suzi makes you feel like family with her personality and character. We Love Suzi and...
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Glen

Glen

We have been working with Suzi for the last 3 years. We were very picky with what we wanted for a home and she always understood. Suzi was very patient with us and would always make time to show us homes. I loved working with h...
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Mark Q.

Mark Q.

Suzi sold our home. We were concerned we couldn't get what we wanted for it but she priced it right because we got multiple offers over the asking price. She advised us on which offers could be strong and which ones could have ...
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Melissa T.

Melissa T.

Working with Suzi has been wonderful. Buying a home is a very exciting and stressful journey and Suzi has been there every step of the way. Weekends looking at houses, lots of texts, lots of calls, lots of paperwork! At every t...
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Alia J.

Alia J.

Suzi Trinidad is an amazing real estate agent and broker, she found us our dream home, and she sold our house at the right time, she was so helpful in every detail and very patient with me, my husband, and my girls, she's very ...
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Edgar L.

Edgar L.

Suzi Trinidad is superb in everything related to real estate. She provided comparables related to the concerns about my targeted property, explained issues related to the title I did not fully understand and was amazingly patie...
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Taygun

Taygun

My interaction with Suzi has been amazing. She has not only rented out my investment property twice, in a very short period for the list price but has also been very accommodating in every way possible helping me manage the pro...
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Buyer

Buyer

Suzi is an amazing agent! She is very knowledgeable about the different areas that I was interested in. I was a first-time home buyer and she helped me find the loan that was best for my situation. She was patient and prompt wh...
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Jeanette B.

Jeanette B.

In May 2017 my husband did a little research on the internet and found Suzi. My DH contacted her and she immediately began setting us up with open houses and appointments. Suzi is very responsive and knowledgeable. We feel that...
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Seller

Seller

Looking to sell your home, Suzi Trinidad is the agent for you. She is open and honest. We listed our house higher than the neighborhood comp, yet we ultimately got out of the house what we wanted. She initially had an open hous...
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Ro J.

Ro J.

Suzi Trinidad is awesome, she went above and beyond to find the home that suited all our needs. . Suzi helped me and my family get into the house we were looking for. She worked very quickly and got us moved in less than a mont...
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Jackie M.

Jackie M.

Suzi Trinidad is a great Real Estate Agent. She is very knowledgeable about the Real Estate Market. She will negotiate the best price for your property and help you thoroughly understand the local Real Estate Market. With her e...
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Bertha B.

Bertha B.

My daughter referred Suzi Trinidad to me for the sale of my home. I met Suzi while she was helping my daughter and her husband find their home. Suzi found a beautiful place for them to call home. When the time came to sell my o...
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