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.

Bright living room with white walls, vaulted ceiling, brick fireplace, flat-screen TV, built-in shelves with books, cream sofa with pillows, blue armchairs, wooden coffee table with decorative items, potted plants, and hardwood flooring.

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.

Large, modern beige and gray house with three-car garage and manicured lawn under a bright blue sky, surrounded by leafless trees.

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.

Backyard view of a large brick house with a swimming pool in the foreground, patio seating area, and lush green trees in the background.

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.

Living room with a fireplace, two black chairs with striped pillows, a glass coffee table, built-in blue bookshelves, and a modern chandelier.

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 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.

A large, white, two-story house with black shutters, dormer windows, and a sloped roof, surrounded by trees and a well-maintained garden under a clear blue sky.

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.

Bright living room with large windows, hardwood floor, blue armchairs with white pillows, round black coffee tables with glass vases and decor, a white fireplace with a framed picture above, and a wicker chair with a throw blanket.

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.

Living room with a fireplace, beige and gray couches, a coffee table with decorative bottles and books, a tall plant, and windows with views of neighboring houses.

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.

A two-story suburban house with beige siding, a stone facade at the entrance, and multiple windows with white shutters. The house is surrounded by green shrubs, trees, and a well-maintained lawn under a clear blue sky.

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.

Living room with a white sofa, decorative pillows, a wooden coffee table with candles and a branch, lamps on side tables, and a view of a kitchen and outdoor area in the background.

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.

A two-story house with a manicured lawn, multiple windows, and a covered front porch, under a clear blue sky.

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. 

OUR TESTIMONIALS

  • BARB G.

    Sara was great, she found me the perfect house in no time. She answered my texts and calls in an appropriate amount of time and showed me the houses I wanted to see in less than twenty-four hours when the sellers were able to accommodate them! Sara was very knowledgeable about the home-buying process and is trustworthy! I highly recommend her.

  • MARK W.

    As a somewhat experienced homebuyer, I like to find my own leads and then rely on my realtor's expertise. Being of an independent mind can cause wrinkles and delays in the process as well. I was lucky enough to find Sara P. in May of last year, and she provided her expertise and support through multiple showings and offers, all the way through closing on my dream home in September! She always remained positive and resourceful in moving things along and getting the job done, and her availability was top-notch as well. Sara made the process easy and enjoyable, and I couldn't be happier with the result.

  • FRANK R.

    Very knowledgeable, extremely professional. A true pleasure to work with. I highly recommend Sara for any and all of your real estate needs. You will not find a more professional, dedicated real estate agent. I look forward to working with Sara again.

  • KALLEN

    Sara was very professional, she was courteous of our availability and work around us. She was very concerned about finding the perfect fit while not pushing us too hard or fast. Every time I have seen her she always had a smile, truly a breath of fresh air. I would certainly recommend her to friends and family if any of those deadbeats need an agent.

  • BUYER

    We must have looked at twenty homes together! Before we both agreed on the gem that is my home now. She was very patient and always on time. A pleasure to have done business with Sara Puccia she cares about the people!

  • ROBERT G.

    We were in search of an investment property and Sara was fantastic in not only finding us a perfect building but also negotiating the deal. She kept us informed throughout the whole process, was always available to answer any questions we had, and if she did not know the answer was quick in getting it for us. We highly recommend her!

  • BUYER

    She was wonderful! Always willing to go the extra mile-checking on the status of listings, matching up what she knew about us with potential homes, and making appointments in a very timely fashion. She knows the greater Rochester area well and steered us toward a home we hadn't considered, but turned out to be perfect. Highly recommended!

  • SELLER

    Sara has helped me purchase and sell multiple homes. She is knowledgeable, kind, creative, and very responsive. Whether you're looking to buy or sell, Sara will work harder than anyone else to make your goal hers.

  • BUYER

    Sara was always available and responsive to texts, emails, and calls. She didn't question any of the houses we chose to look at, she just quickly lined up the viewing and patiently allowed us to look around. She offered points to consider, without being pushy at all. If she didn't personally have the answer to a question or concern, she had contacts to tap. She is knowledgeable, sweet, and fun. It was great to work with her! We would highly recommend her, in fact, we chose to work with her even though we have a long-standing, positive relationship with another realtor. We just happened to make the contact and decided she was the one to work with!

  • SELLER

    Sara went over and above in every aspect of representing me during the sale of my property. She is an incredible resource and knows the local market well. Everything from helping me locate contractors to pricing the property for sale, to negotiating the best deal makes Sara an invaluable professional to have on your side. As an attorney, I’ve had the opportunity to work with many brokers. Sara is amongst the very best of them!