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Welcome to My

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 our team 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 we 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 Real Estate Experts

Can you shop for, look at, and ultimately make an offer on a home without real estate experts? Technically yes, but why would you when it costs you nothing for agents like us to take much of the stress off your shoulders? Not only will we help identify properties you might be interested in, arrange showings, and ultimately handle the offer process, but we also have knowledge of the market that you don’t possess. Finding the perfect home can be a daunting task, this is where our expertise and wealth of knowledge come into play. Let us show you around some homes that meet your dream home criteria so you can find the one that's right for you.

Passion & Expertise

Our goal is to provide you with the most personalized service possible, meticulously designed to help you navigate the process of buying your dream home. We are dedicated to understanding your unique needs and preferences, ensuring that every step of the journey is tailored to achieve your ultimate home-buying aspirations.

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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!). We 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. We 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. We 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. 

See Why Our Clients Love Us

Testimonials

"Stephany and her team were very easy to work with. I had to do 90% remotely and they were awesome with helping me get stuff done when I could not physically be there. Also, had good resources for handy work that needed to be done. Responsive. Communication was great. Knowledgeable."
"Stephany and her team were very easy to work with. I had to do 90% remotely and they were awesome with helping me get stuff done when I could not physically be there. Also, had good resources for handy work that needed to be done. Responsive. Communication was great. Knowledgeable."
Susie S.
"Courtney was absolutely amazing to work with. Her ability to find and show listings that met our price point, desired location, and personal taste was impressive. We needed to be out of our old home and into a new one in less than a month and her and our mortgage loan officer, Keith “Beef” Gervais, we’re able to help us get approved for the loan, find a house, and close in almost 3 weeks flat. This is our first home and they were absolutely instrumental in making this dream come true for our family. Thank you Courtney and Beef! We couldn’t be more pleased with how things went and we would recommend you two for anyone looking to buy."
"Courtney was absolutely amazing to work with. Her ability to find and show listings that met our price point, desired location, and personal taste was impressive. We needed to be out of our old home and into a new one in less than a month and her and our mortgage loan officer, Keith “Beef” Gervais, we’re able to help us get approved for the loan, find a house, and close in almost 3 weeks flat. This is our first home and they were absolutely instrumental in making this dream come true for our family. Thank you Courtney and Beef! We couldn’t be more pleased with how things went and we would recommend you two for anyone looking to buy."
Christian A.
"Anyone that knows me knows that I am, extremely particular. This was not any different when I was making a decision for who would be our real estate professional that we would choose to represent us. Although choosing to buy a home was not an easy decision, having Courtney Neugart was a no-brainer when it came to who we wanted to be in our corner. When I met Courtney about four years ago, I knew what she did for a career, and not because she advertised her services or solicited her business – but because I saw her integrity, compassion and caring nature for everyone around her. This was not limited to her friends, family or those that attended Compass. This is who she is at her core. There is no one else that I would’ve considered to represent us. Long before we made the decision to purchase – I had told David that - when it was time to buy a home that there was no doubt in my mind that Courtney Neugart would be the best choice for us. If you are considering buying a home of any sort, I highly, highly recommend Courtney. And as a PSA – never ever go into new build homes/communities, and/or properties without a representative with you at that very first time you set foot in their office."
"Anyone that knows me knows that I am, extremely particular. This was not any different when I was making a decision for who would be our real estate professional that we would choose to represent us. Although choosing to buy a home was not an easy decision, having Courtney Neugart was a no-brainer when it came to who we wanted to be in our corner. When I met Courtney about four years ago, I knew what she did for a career, and not because she advertised her services or solicited her business – but because I saw her integrity, compassion and caring nature for everyone around her. This was not limited to her friends, family or those that attended Compass. This is who she is at her core. There is no one else that I would’ve considered to represent us. Long before we made the decision to purchase – I had told David that - when it was time to buy a home that there was no doubt in my mind that Courtney Neugart would be the best choice for us. If you are considering buying a home of any sort, I highly, highly recommend Courtney. And as a PSA – never ever go into new build homes/communities, and/or properties without a representative with you at that very first time you set foot in their office."
Kortney A.
"Courtney is a seasoned professional in all things real estate! She helped us through every step of the way with confidence and put us at ease in times of uncertainty. I felt she always had our best interests in mind and helped us fight for everything we deserved, and more. As a third time homebuyer, I would highly recommend. She’s a go-getter, determined, knowledgeable, and genuine person. It would be your privilege to have Courtney on your team."
"Courtney is a seasoned professional in all things real estate! She helped us through every step of the way with confidence and put us at ease in times of uncertainty. I felt she always had our best interests in mind and helped us fight for everything we deserved, and more. As a third time homebuyer, I would highly recommend. She’s a go-getter, determined, knowledgeable, and genuine person. It would be your privilege to have Courtney on your team."
S. Murray
"Our agent was Rory Bullington. Rory was incredibly responsive to our emails and phone calls. He was extremely knowledgeable of the different communities in the greater Tucson area. He met us on our initial trip to Tucson and showed us two homes on the market. While we were not prepared to buy at that time, it was a valuable exposure to what our money would afford us and to different neighborhoods. He listened carefully to our wants and needs and made sure to include them in our portal that he specifically designed. Once our house in NC sold and we were ready to buy a home in AZ, Rory, with our input, put together a list of homes meeting our criteria and drove to each home taking us on a virtual tour (via FaceTime) of each. I don't think we could have asked for more or found a more willing and accommodating realtor! Once we found our dream home, Rory efficiently drew up/presented our offer, helped us negotiate our counter, and followed up on repairs, all while we remained in NC packing and preparing to move. Rory always remained cool, calm, and collected even as our stress levels rose! His was the voice of reason. We have great respect for Rory's knowledge and skill and would recommend him at every turn!"
"Our agent was Rory Bullington. Rory was incredibly responsive to our emails and phone calls. He was extremely knowledgeable of the different communities in the greater Tucson area. He met us on our initial trip to Tucson and showed us two homes on the market. While we were not prepared to buy at that time, it was a valuable exposure to what our money would afford us and to different neighborhoods. He listened carefully to our wants and needs and made sure to include them in our portal that he specifically designed. Once our house in NC sold and we were ready to buy a home in AZ, Rory, with our input, put together a list of homes meeting our criteria and drove to each home taking us on a virtual tour (via FaceTime) of each. I don't think we could have asked for more or found a more willing and accommodating realtor! Once we found our dream home, Rory efficiently drew up/presented our offer, helped us negotiate our counter, and followed up on repairs, all while we remained in NC packing and preparing to move. Rory always remained cool, calm, and collected even as our stress levels rose! His was the voice of reason. We have great respect for Rory's knowledge and skill and would recommend him at every turn!"
J.D.
"Courtney was so pleasant to work with. She was always available to us at any time of the day to answer our questions. She handled all the nitty gritty work for us and we are so happy we chose Courtney to guide us during our home buying process. I highly recommend Courtney as a realtor to use - you will not be disappointed!"
"Courtney was so pleasant to work with. She was always available to us at any time of the day to answer our questions. She handled all the nitty gritty work for us and we are so happy we chose Courtney to guide us during our home buying process. I highly recommend Courtney as a realtor to use - you will not be disappointed!"
Matt S.
"Stephany made herself available and went above and beyond when needed. She got us in to preview homes and last minute showings on our schedule. We were super happy with her knowledge of the market and the area. Highly recommend!"
"Stephany made herself available and went above and beyond when needed. She got us in to preview homes and last minute showings on our schedule. We were super happy with her knowledge of the market and the area. Highly recommend!"
Mikey S.
"It was a pleasure to work with Courtney Taylor, she was very helpful and professional. Was always available when I had questions, she was great, I would highly recommend her."
"It was a pleasure to work with Courtney Taylor, she was very helpful and professional. Was always available when I had questions, she was great, I would highly recommend her."
Gary B.
"Courtney has been an absolutely amazing realtor through the entire process of selling and buying our home! She completely listens and fights for her clients! Courtney has great communication with other realtors and builds such great rapport with them. She has so much knowledge and has such great referrals and business partners she works with to make the process even more seamless. I could not have made a better choice in choosing Courtney, she made a normally stressful process as easy as possible!"
"Courtney has been an absolutely amazing realtor through the entire process of selling and buying our home! She completely listens and fights for her clients! Courtney has great communication with other realtors and builds such great rapport with them. She has so much knowledge and has such great referrals and business partners she works with to make the process even more seamless. I could not have made a better choice in choosing Courtney, she made a normally stressful process as easy as possible!"
Buyer & Seller
"We cannot say enough to express our gratitude to Stephany, Rory, and the Bullington team. Rory found us the PERFECT home, negotiated a great price and did it in a very timely manner. The attention to the little details and keeping us updated was so appreciated since I’m a worrier! The knowledge of the area Rory had was great, and it allowed us to find our home in very little time. I would recommend Rory and the Bullington Group."
"We cannot say enough to express our gratitude to Stephany, Rory, and the Bullington team. Rory found us the PERFECT home, negotiated a great price and did it in a very timely manner. The attention to the little details and keeping us updated was so appreciated since I’m a worrier! The knowledge of the area Rory had was great, and it allowed us to find our home in very little time. I would recommend Rory and the Bullington Group."
Mack O.
"Stephany’s professional tenacity and knowledge of the local market was key to finding our new home. After listening to our preferences for architectural style, want of views and aesthetic, she expertly steered us to a home that was perfect for us. After losing out on a property in a bidding war, we were a bit apprehensive to put in another offer. However, she patiently dealt with our disappointment and quickly found us another property in a very tight market that met all of our needs. And she was able to negotiate a favourable price, which is very difficult to do in such a tight market. We view ourselves lucky and quite grateful to have found her and the resourceful, hard-working team in her office."
"Stephany’s professional tenacity and knowledge of the local market was key to finding our new home. After listening to our preferences for architectural style, want of views and aesthetic, she expertly steered us to a home that was perfect for us. After losing out on a property in a bidding war, we were a bit apprehensive to put in another offer. However, she patiently dealt with our disappointment and quickly found us another property in a very tight market that met all of our needs. And she was able to negotiate a favourable price, which is very difficult to do in such a tight market. We view ourselves lucky and quite grateful to have found her and the resourceful, hard-working team in her office."
Buyer
"Courtney is fantastic! She is professional, knowledgeable, and courteous throughout the entire process of selling a home! She maintaines communication and is there to help you through every step. She is dedicated to her clients and truly cares about their happiness. We cannot say enough great things about Courtney!"
"Courtney is fantastic! She is professional, knowledgeable, and courteous throughout the entire process of selling a home! She maintaines communication and is there to help you through every step. She is dedicated to her clients and truly cares about their happiness. We cannot say enough great things about Courtney!"
Jenna M.
"Rory Bullington helped us stage and list our house for more than we were expecting. We received an offer for asking price in less than 24 hours. Rory negotiated with those buyers until everyone was happy. Two years ago we also used Rory to buy our first home. We would definitely recommend him and the Bullington team to both buyers and sellers."
"Rory Bullington helped us stage and list our house for more than we were expecting. We received an offer for asking price in less than 24 hours. Rory negotiated with those buyers until everyone was happy. Two years ago we also used Rory to buy our first home. We would definitely recommend him and the Bullington team to both buyers and sellers."
Seller
"Courtney is the best of the best! She has so much experience and will go above and beyond to help you find your perfect home. We originally sold our house with her and she made the process so simple and ensured we received the best offer for our home. Recently we bought a new condo and Courtney made buying in this crazy market so much less scary than we expected. She helped us put in a desirable offer without too much risk. Her expertise is seriously incredible and made us feel so much more secure. She also is so organized, hard-working, and personable. I would refer Courtney to anyone! She will take care of you!"
"Courtney is the best of the best! She has so much experience and will go above and beyond to help you find your perfect home. We originally sold our house with her and she made the process so simple and ensured we received the best offer for our home. Recently we bought a new condo and Courtney made buying in this crazy market so much less scary than we expected. She helped us put in a desirable offer without too much risk. Her expertise is seriously incredible and made us feel so much more secure. She also is so organized, hard-working, and personable. I would refer Courtney to anyone! She will take care of you!"
Hayley G.
"Stephany was great and helped us get into our dream house with other offers on the table! It’s been great! She is super personable, knowledgeable, and friendly! 10/10 recommend"
"Stephany was great and helped us get into our dream house with other offers on the table! It’s been great! She is super personable, knowledgeable, and friendly! 10/10 recommend"
Sophia A.
"We cannot say enough to express our gratitude to Stephany, Rory, and the Bullington team. Rory found us the perfect home, negotiated a great price and did it in a very timely manner. The attention to the little details and keeping us updated was so appreciated since I’m a worrier! The knowledge of the area Rory had was great, and it allowed us to find our home in very little time. I would recommend Rory and the Bullington Group."
"We cannot say enough to express our gratitude to Stephany, Rory, and the Bullington team. Rory found us the perfect home, negotiated a great price and did it in a very timely manner. The attention to the little details and keeping us updated was so appreciated since I’m a worrier! The knowledge of the area Rory had was great, and it allowed us to find our home in very little time. I would recommend Rory and the Bullington Group."
Mack O.
"Stephany was amazing! I'll be recommending her services to potential home buyers. Everyone on the team was extremely helpful and professional. This was hassle free from start to finish. This was my first home buying experience and I'm amazed with how prioritized my needs felt. She provided the step-by-step process and what to expect, including time frames and courtesy calls. Hands down one of the most simple big decisions I've ever made. Thank you!"
"Stephany was amazing! I'll be recommending her services to potential home buyers. Everyone on the team was extremely helpful and professional. This was hassle free from start to finish. This was my first home buying experience and I'm amazed with how prioritized my needs felt. She provided the step-by-step process and what to expect, including time frames and courtesy calls. Hands down one of the most simple big decisions I've ever made. Thank you!"
Seth M.
"I am an out-of-state property owner and Stephany’s team turned what should have been a disaster into a smooth sale. Numerous unforeseeable issues arose throughout escrow, but each was effectively dealt with calmly and efficiently. In the end, we closed on time at the asking price on the same day that the current tenant’s lease was up, the perfect transaction from my standpoint. The expertise, dedication, knowledge, and efficiency of Stephany and her team were invaluable, I could not recommend them more."
"I am an out-of-state property owner and Stephany’s team turned what should have been a disaster into a smooth sale. Numerous unforeseeable issues arose throughout escrow, but each was effectively dealt with calmly and efficiently. In the end, we closed on time at the asking price on the same day that the current tenant’s lease was up, the perfect transaction from my standpoint. The expertise, dedication, knowledge, and efficiency of Stephany and her team were invaluable, I could not recommend them more."
Seller
"Stephany assisted me in turning over and selling a rental property. She suggested repairs needed, recommended contractors to compete repairs, scheduled repairs with contractors, staged the property, and handled all the last minute issues. Once the property was listed, she sold it in one day for over asking price! She was a pleasure to work with and made the whole process run smoothly from start to finish. She went above and beyond, and especially since I lived out of town, her extra effort was so appreciated. I can not say enough good things about her. Highly recommend Stephany!"
"Stephany assisted me in turning over and selling a rental property. She suggested repairs needed, recommended contractors to compete repairs, scheduled repairs with contractors, staged the property, and handled all the last minute issues. Once the property was listed, she sold it in one day for over asking price! She was a pleasure to work with and made the whole process run smoothly from start to finish. She went above and beyond, and especially since I lived out of town, her extra effort was so appreciated. I can not say enough good things about her. Highly recommend Stephany!"
Seller
"Stephany and her team were great to work with! She was always available when we had any questions regarding the process. We sold our home in just one day. Highly recommend!"
"Stephany and her team were great to work with! She was always available when we had any questions regarding the process. We sold our home in just one day. Highly recommend!"
Laura E.

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