Before you can or should ever begin actually looking at potential homes to buy in Mount Pleasant or the surrounding area, you must secure your financing. Unless of course, you’re going to be paying with all cash. Therefore, the first thing we need to do is get you paired up with the right lender. Once I speak with you and get to know your personal circumstances, I will align you with a local lender that can offer you the best possible financing options for this purchase.
From there, the lender will begin the process of getting you pre-approved for a mortgage which will tell you what your budget will be. However, just because you are pre-approved for a certain amount does not necessarily mean you can afford it comfortably so we will happily assess your overall financial picture to ensure that you won’t find yourself house poor.
Getting pre-approved is not only essential for establishing your budget but it also shows sellers that you are a qualified buyer and that you are serious about buying. In situations when there are multiple buyers interested in a particular property, this can make or break the difference in who wins the home. In other cases, many sellers simply won’t even consider a buyer or allow them to see the property without being pre-approved, so this is definitely step one.
Once you have your budget figured out, it is time to start making a list of priorities for what you are looking for and need out of your new home in Mount Pleasant. Depending on where you are in your life and the type of lifestyle you enjoy, this can vary a great deal. Having an actual list on paper (or in your phone) is a very helpful tool in narrowing down properties to tour. In fact, it can be even more helpful to turn your list of priorities into a checklist and assess each property you are interested in with that checklist so you can compare and contrast them later. After all, it can be confusing and overwhelming to keep all of the different properties straight and remember what you liked or disliked. Some people also like to include a scoring system to make the ranking process even easier.
When you are relocating to Mount Pleasant or the surrounding area from out of state or a significant distance, your timeline can play a massive role in your decision. Especially, if you are being forced to relocate quickly for your job. Being under the added pressure of a deadline can really take away from the joy of this occasion. This is all the more reason to work with a Mount Pleasant Realtor that specializes in working with people who are relocating like myself.
Although I will do everything possible to secure you a home that meets all your needs and also makes you swoon, at a price you can afford, within your deadline, there are times when that listing simply does not yet exist. I never want you to settle for a Mount Pleasant home you don’t love, so if a suitable property is not yet available, I can help you find a reasonable temporary rental until the perfect property comes along.