Real Estate Knowledge

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Step 1 – Get Pre-Approved for a Mortgage Before house hunting, speak to a mortgage lender to get pre-approved. This shows sellers you're serious and gives you a clear idea of your budget. 

Step 2 – Find a Realtor Choose a knowledgeable real estate agent who will guide you every step of the way. Pine Barrens Realty is here to make the process smooth and stress-free.

 Step 3 – Understand the Market Learn about the neighborhoods you're interested in— home prices, taxes, school districts, and overall vibe.

 Step 4 – Make an Offer When you find the right home, your realtor will help you submit a formal offer with terms and contingencies. 

Step 5 – Offer Accepted Once the seller accepts, you're on your way! Time-sensitive steps begin immediately. 

Step 6 – Home Inspection Make your offer contingent on a home inspection and schedule it within 24 hours. This ensures there are no hidden issues. 

Step 7 – Hire a Real Estate Attorney If the inspection is good, hire a real estate attorney or use one recommended by your agent to handle the legal process. 

Step 8 – Half Contract Seller's attorney sends contracts to your attorney. You sign and place a deposit in escrow. 

Step 9 – Contract Adjustments Your attorney may request revisions to protect your interests. 

Step 10 – Full Contract Once both parties sign, you're in full contract. This triggers the next phase.

 Step 11 – Appraisal Ordered Send your contract to your mortgage lender so they can order the home appraisal. 

Step 12 – Title Search Your attorney arranges a title search to ensure there are no legal claims or liens on the property. 

Step 13 – Appraisal Reviewed If the appraisal meets or exceeds your offer, the lender proceeds with the loan process.

 Step 14 – Mortgage Commitment Once the title is clear and appraisal is approved; the bank issues a mortgage commitment. 

Step 15 – Final Credit Check & Job Verification The lender will recheck your credit and verify employment. Avoid large purchases or credit changes.

 Step 16 – Clear to Close The lender confirms everything is in order and sets a closing date. 

Step 17 – Final Walkthrough The day of closing, do a final walkthrough to confirm the home's condition is unchanged.

 Step 18 – Closing Day Sign your mortgage documents, transfer funds, and get your keys. You're officially a homeowner! 

Step 19 – Congratulations! Welcome home! Enjoy your new beginning and celebrate this major milestone .

This is a great question—and one that every smart buyer should ask before submitting an offer on a home.

One of the best ways to determine whether a house is worth buying is to ask your Realtor to pull comparable homes that have sold in the area within the past year. These comparable sales (often called “comps”) should closely match the property you’re considering in terms of number of bedrooms, bathrooms, square footage, and school district. 

These factors play a major role in a home’s true market value.

By reviewing recent sales—not asking prices—you can see what buyers are actually willing to pay for similar homes in the same neighborhood. This helps ensure your offer is based on real market data, not emotion or inflated pricing.

A knowledgeable Realtor will also take into account current market conditions, such as inventory levels, demand, and how long similar homes are staying on the market. Together, this information gives buyers confidence that the offer they are making is fair, competitive, and worth pursuing.

Buying a home is one of the biggest financial decisions you’ll make. Having the right data—and the right professional guiding you—makes all the difference.

This is one of the most common—and important—questions homeowners ask when considering a move. 

The short answer is this: the homeowner runs the show, and your real estate agent should fully understand and respect that.

As licensed real estate professionals, it is our responsibility to protect the seller’s interests, not rush a sale for the sake of a commission. When selling your home, one of the most critical protections is ensuring that the contract clearly outlines the timeline the homeowner needs to find and secure another property.

This timeline should be discussed and negotiated upfront, at the time an offer is made. The buyer and the buyer’s agent must understand the seller’s situation and agree to it before moving forward. Your attorney should then put these terms directly into the contract, protecting you from being forced to close before you have a place to go.

If a buyer cannot agree to your timeline—and you have nowhere to go—then that buyer is simply not the right buyer for you. In that case, it is often best to move on and wait for a buyer who can meet your needs.

That said, if you have flexibility—such as the ability to stay with family temporarily or rent while you search for your next home—that is also an important conversation to have. Every situation is different, and the strategy should be tailored to your comfort level and financial goals.

The bottom line is this: your Realtor should be advocating for you, protecting your position, and structuring the deal around your needs—not pushing you out of your home to speed up a closing. A well-represented seller sells with confidence, clarity, and control.

What can I expect when buying a home?

Even with new construction, I always recommend getting a home inspection. A qualified home inspector can identify items within the home that may or may not require attention, including potential repairs or safety concerns that aren’t always obvious to the untrained eye.

The cost of a home inspection typically ranges from approximately $300 to $1,000, depending on the square footage and complexity of the home. If you choose to hire a licensed engineer to perform the inspection, the cost will be higher.

While it may feel uncomfortable spending money on a home you don’t yet own, a home inspection is well worth the investment. It can provide peace of mind, help you avoid costly surprises, and in some cases give you leverage to negotiate repairs or credits before closing.

The most accurate way to determine your home’s value is by reviewing recent sales of similar homes in your neighborhood. These are called comparable sales (or “comps”). Typically, comps are homes located within about a one-mile radius that have sold within the past 6–12 months and are similar in size, number of bedrooms and bathrooms, and overall condition.

Features such as a finished basement, one or more garages, updated kitchens or bathrooms, and additional living space can positively impact your home’s value. Location, lot size, and overall market conditions also play an important role.

It’s important to understand that this is the same method a bank appraiser will use when valuing your home for a mortgage. However, market value ultimately comes down to what a buyer is willing to pay. If a buyer agrees to a price higher than the appraised value, they would need to cover the difference in cash if the bank is not willing to finance that amount.

For the most accurate pricing strategy, working with an experienced local real estate professional ensures your home is positioned correctly in the current market.

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