STEPS FOR BUYING A HOME IN FLORIDA WITH Aqualand Realty
Buying a home can be overwhelming, especially without guidance from a professional Aqualand Realty sales associate. Below is our proven system of steps to make purchasing a home in Florida an easy, convenient and enjoyable experience.

1.    THE DECISION TO BUY
Whether you are a first-time home buyer or entering the marketplace as a repeat buyer, you should define your reasons for purchasing a home Are you planning to move to a new community due to a lifestyle change or is buying an option and not a requirement? What would you like in your new home that you do not now have? Do you have a purchasing timeframe?

Whatever your answers, the more you know about the real estate marketplace, the greater the likelihood you can effectively reach your goals. It will be helpful to discuss your questions and concerns when you meet with your Aqualand Realty sales associate. The best place to find a local, professional Aqualand Realty sales associate is through this web site...review the sections on Finding an Office and Sales Associate to quickly find the office and associate best for your needs. By choosing a Aqualand Realty sales associate, you will be assured of a professionally trained, experienced individual who will give you outstanding representation and provide the one-stop, full-service array of programs for which we're known. . The Aqualand Realty sales associate you select will thoroughly explain your buyer agency, seller agency and disclosed dual agency options.

2.    THE MORTGAGE PRE-APPROVAL
Florida has a vibrant real estate market. The demand for homes and for home financing is very high. It is strongly recommended that buyers be "Pre-Approved" by the Mainland Mortgage team prior to starting the home search process. Although the pre-approval is not a final loan commitment, your pre-approval letter is an asset when bidding on a home. It demonstrates your financial strength and shows that you have the ability to proceed with a purchase. This information is important to owners; it gives them confidence in your offer and your intentions. We have found that owners are more apt to respond positively to a pre-approved buyer since they save time and effort and eliminate the risk of accepting an offer the might fall through.because financing could not be obtained.

Have Your Pre-Approval Letter Yet? Call Mainland Mortgage at 786-417-4910 Apply Online You will receive your pre-approval within about 15 minutes over the phone.  Better yet, they guarantee to BEAT any other lender's price, or they will pay you $500.   By the way, we don't make any money if you use Mainland Mortgage, but we know they are fast and great at what they do.

3.    PREVIEW HOMES FOR SALE
Ask your Aqualand Realty sales associate about our many home finding tools, including the Aqualand Realty Florida Buyers' Guide, to assist with the process of finding the home that matches your criteria. Your Aqualand Realty sales associate can provide detailed information on any property currently listed for sale by Aqualand Realty or by another real estate company. If you see a "For Sale" sign on a property or an ad in a newspaper about a home that interests you, your Aqualand Realty sales associate can provide you with all the details - including price, description, special features and financing terms. We have immediate access to data about properties that are on the market.

During your meeting, your Aqualand Realty sales professional becomes familiar with every aspect of your real estate wishes and financial needs. You can rely on your associate for information on any property - whether it is listed with us or with another company. This saves you time and takes the hassle out of house hunting . . .and, it doesn't cost you a penny! It is another part of our full-service program for clients.

4.    HOME SELECTED - PLAN THE APPROACH
Negotiating the purchase agreement is part of every transaction. Good preparation lets you negotiate the best price and terms obtainable. Your Aqualand Realty sales associate's experience is invaluable in developing the correct negotiating strategies and techniques to make your initial approach a success.

5.    MAKE THE OFFER
Once you have previewed suitable homes and have found one you think is perfect, you are ready to make an offer! This process varies around the country. Typically, in Florida, you and your sales associate will complete an offer that will be presented to the owner and /or owner's representative. This purchase offer will be carefully prepared and presented by your Aqualand Realty sales associate. At this point, you will be expected to include a check, usually a percentage of your offer price, as earnest money. The owner, in turn, may accept, reject, or make a counter-offer. Because counter-offers are common (any change in an offer can be considered a counter-offer), it is important for buyers to remain in close contact with their Aqualand Realty sales associate during the negotiation process so that any proposed changes can be reviewed quickly.

6.    OFFER ACCEPTANCE
An accepted buyer offer leads to a legally binding purchase contract. The contract is a signed agreement between the seller and the buyer. Your Aqualand Realty sales associate will answer any questions you may have regarding this contract.

7.    HOME INSPECTIONS ORDERED - PERFORMED
Your Aqualand Realty sales associate, in order to protect your investment, will encourage you to have a home inspection done prior to finalizing your transaction. The home inspection should be ordered within 10 days of the contract being signed. A number of inspections are common in Florida residential realty transactions. They include inspection for termites, wood-boring insects, radon problems, mechanical and structural defects. During these examinations, a certified inspector determines if there are material physical problems and whether expensive repairs and replacements are likely to be required within the next few years. Such inspections for a single-family home often require two or three hours. This is a safety net for our clients and any home inspection issues will be addressed by your sales associate immediately after the inspection results are received.

8.    MORTGAGE COMMITMENT - TITLE WORK AND SURVEY PERFORMED
At this time in the process you, as a buyer, have already been pre-approved for a loan and await your final mortgage commitment . Typically, a final written mortgage commitment is received in 30 to 45 days. Whatever time frame is specified in the contract of sale, normally after 10 business days, the balance of the usual 10% deposit is due. The process of ordering a survey, and title work now begins.

9.    THE WALK -THROUGH - THE CLOSING
Coordinated through your Aqualand Realty associate, the walk-through inspection is performed the day of the closing. The walk-through of the home you're about to close on lets you re-confirm the condition of the home before the closing takes place.

Settlement at closing is a brief process in which the necessary paperwork needed to complete the transaction is signed. Typically, both buyer and seller are at the same table, sometimes with each party completing their paperwork separately. The buyer traditionally arrives 45 minutes earlier than the seller to handle the mortgage paperwork. Title to the property is transferred from seller to buyer. The buyer receives the keys and the seller receives payment for the home. From the amount credited to the seller, the closing agent deducts money to pay off the existing mortgage and other transaction costs. Deeds, loan papers, and other documents are prepared, signed and filed with local property record offices. Please see Buyers Estimated Closing Costs within this web site.

10.    THE MOVE - CONCIERGE SERVICES
Moving can be stressful. Our Concierge Service is designed to assist you with the myriad details involved in moving to your new home. We can help you find a moving company, obtain homeowners insurance, find a house painter, a nursery school or a dog walker.