Embarking on the home buying process can feel exciting for first time and repeat buyers, however, it can be somewhat overwhelming when you don’t know what to expect. In these videos, I break down our process into 8 steps that will help you get a better understanding of how we will work together to accomplish your goals in purchasing a home on 30A.

I’ll be here every step of the way!

Step 1. Determine Your Goals

Let’s talk about the eight steps to the buying process. Number one, determine your goals. Congratulations. You’re ready to take the first step towards owning a home at the beach, and I’m so honored to be on this adventure with you. First, I’d like to learn a little bit more about your goals. Are you looking for a vacation home, a true second home, or are you considering a move to the area full?

It’s so helpful to understand your timing as well, because once I understand your why, we can start working on the how together.

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Step 2: Connect with a Lender

Step number two, connect with a local lender. We’ll determine your financing strategy for your purchase. Depending on your goals, there are a number of different loan options available.

I’d like to connect you with a local lender who can work with you to find the best loan products available for your situation. It’s also so important to work with a local lender who understands our unique market and specializes in loans for second home and investment buyers. Financing a property in a niche market like 30 A with such a high concentration of rental properties can be a challenge for outside lenders.

And buying a home at the beach is supposed to be fun. So we don’t want any unwelcomed surprises along the way. My team and I will gladly introduce you to our trusted local lenders based on your particular needs and goals. They’ll become an important member of our home buying team and we’ll all work together to make the process as smooth and successful as.

Once you’ve connected with one of our local lenders, they’ll send you a loan application, gather some financial information, and prepare a pre-approval letter for you in a competitive market. This pre-approval is crucial and helps me put our best foot forward when making offers.

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Step 3: Collections

The next step is to tell me all about what your ideal home looks like. Beyond the basic information, like number of bedrooms and bathrooms, I’d like to learn more about your lifestyle. What do you like to do here at the beach? Do you prefer to be in the middle of the action? Will you be living here full-time? Once I understand a little bit more about what your ideal home is, I’ll create what we call a collection.

Think of it as a Pinterest for real estate. It’s a board where we can collaborate, discuss properties, share information about rental projections. And determine which homes you’d like to see.

Step 4: Property Tours

Step four is one of the most fun parts of your home buying adventure. This is when we get to start previewing homes.

Since you’re most likely searching from another state, we use tools like virtual tours, video tours, and even live FaceTime. To enable you to experience the home, the yard, the community, and even the closest beach access from wherever you are. But keep in mind, during popular vacation times, we might only be able to tour properties on Saturday during the turn between check-in and checkout when guests aren’t there.

But we take the responsibility of being your eyes, ears, and nose very seriously and are happy to provide our professional insight as well as answer all of your questions about the home, its condition and location.

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Step 5: Writing an Offer

Now that we’ve found the right home, it’s time to write an offer. In Florida we have three different purchase contracts and each one is better suited for certain situations beyond price, we’ll discuss the terms and conditions, including any contingencies related to financing and inspections.

And one thing to keep in mind is our inspection contingency period works a little different than most states and buyers don’t always have the ability to cancel the contract during the inspection period for any reason. So we’ll work together to determine the best offer strategy for you based on the market conditions and your goals.

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Step 6: Under Contract

Congratulations. We’re under contract, so with the help of my team, we’ll confirm all the contract deadlines, notify the title company and lender if you’re financing the purchase. The title company will verify wiring instructions for your escrow deposit, and we’ll share our recommendations for local home vendors and help get that scheduled for you.

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Step 7: Contingency Period

Next is the contingency period. Depending on the terms of your contract, you may have a financing contingency, which means we have a certain amount of time to obtain loan approval from your lender. It is super important to get them all the information they request in a timely manner so we can stay on track and meet this deadline.

If we have an inspection contingency, we’ll work with the local home inspector of your choice to schedule access to the home. And once the inspection is complete, we’ll review the report with you and based on the terms of your contract, discuss any repair request we’d like to make to the seller.

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Step 8: Closing Time

We did it!

We found the perfect home, submitted a winning offer, and now it’s time to close. This can be done in person if you plan to be in. Or if you’d prefer to close remotely, we can arrange with the title company and close from your office or your home or wherever it’s most convenient. My team and I will do a final walkthrough for you, and this can also be done over video.

We will help you set up new utility accounts and work with you to make the transition as. Smooth as possible. Our commitment to being your local resource doesn’t end on closing day. We are always available to help you with local vendors, service providers, transitioning to a management company or anything else you need.

The Beach Collective team is your team.

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