The Home Buying Process
Let the True North Group guide you through the journey!
Download a copy of our Buyer's Guide for detailed information on the home-buying process.
Whether you're buying your first home, dream home, or tenth investment property, buying real estate is a major decision, and who you choose to work with is important. Working with the right advisor ensures that you will find the perfect property for your unique circumstances – someone who takes the time to understand your goals, knows the market, negotiates, and educates you throughout the buying experience.
1. Game Planning
Tell us all about you! We’re excited to learn about your family, lifestyle, priorities, and wish list- everything that shapes your vision for this next chapter.
Share the keys factors that matter most- your desired location, lifestyle, number of bedrooms and bathrooms, school preferences, amenities, and intrinsic qualities you look for in a home along with your timeline. We specialize in having hyper local knowledge and leverage your time by hand selecting the top neighborhoods and homes based on your feedback.
You can feel confident and well-informed with our all-star team by your side—conducting comprehensive due diligence on every property and guiding you seamlessly through each step of the journey.
2. Get Pre-Approved
Define your ideal lifestyle, budget, and strengthen your negotiating position by securing a pre-approval letter early in the process. Your lender will provide a detailed loan estimate outlining projected monthly payments, property taxes, homeowner’s insurance, and closing costs.
Select and Schedule Properties to Tour
Mark any properties you would like to tour in addition to our recommendations, and we will schedule it based on your availability. Our team will conduct thorough due diligence and report any red flags.
Home Showings
Based on our "Game Plan" session, we send properties SPECIFIC to the features and specifications you identified and eliminate any homes that do not fit. We also update you with a monthly newsletter of current market conditions and trends.
The Fun Part! Together, we will tour homes and gather your feedback—not just on what you love, but also on what doesn’t fit. Acting as your trusted third set of eyes, we highlight each property’s advantages and potential concerns while sharing insights from our in-depth due diligence and experience.
3. Tour Homes
4. Make an Offer
Once we have identified the property you love, we will collaborate to craft a strategic offer informed by property conditions, economic trends, comparable sales data, and seller motivation.
Every detail—from price, contingencies, terms and timing—is tailored specifically to your goals and priorities.
5. Get a Home Inspection
A home inspection is an evaluation of the home's condition and structure by a professional home inspector. The purpose of the inspection is to identify any issues that may not be easily observable and create additional leverage when negotiating with sellers on repair costs.
6. Get a Home Appraisal
We will coordinate with your lender to order the property appraisal. Conducted by a licensed professional, the appraisal provides an independent assessment of the home’s market value—giving you additional confidence that your investment aligns with current market conditions.
The appraiser will consider various factors such as the home's size, location, condition, and comparable sales data in the area. They will provide an estimate of value based on their analysis.
7. Clear to Close
Congratulations! You are clear to close on your new home.
Conduct a Final Walk-Through
Your final balance to close will include the down payment, closing costs, lender/broker fees, title insurance, homeowner’s insurance, and any escrow account requirements.
Wire the Balance to Close
Prior to closing, your advisor will accompany you on a final walk-through to confirm that all agreed-upon repairs have been completed and that the property is in satisfactory condition.
Sign Closing Documents
You will meet with your advisor at the title company to sign closing documents, and we hand you the keys to your new home!