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Buyer's Guide

Homebuyer's Guide

Buying a home should be 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 homebuyer’s guide created by your agent will reduce the stress of buying a home and help you enjoy the journey.

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Step 1: Compile Your Wish List

Decide which communities, home features, and property types you and your family prefer. Have candid conversations about which of these characteristics are required, and which are “nice to have” in your next home.

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Step 2: Decide on Your Budget

Examine your current expenses and determine how they might change if you purchase a home. Create a comprehensive household budget so you can factor in any new ongoing expenses that might come with a home purchase, such as garbage and recycling, water, or homeowner’s association fees. Once you decide how these expenses will change, you’ll be better equipped to leverage the information you get in step three.

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Step 3: Get Prequalified

Prequalification is a great start for understanding your purchasing power, but it’s not the only factor. A lender may pre-approve you for more than you’re comfortable spending, which is why the budget you compiled in step two is so important. The opposite can also happen, where you believe you can afford a certain payment every month, but the bank doesn’t agree. This often happens when you’re new to your job, have insufficient credit, or have bankruptcies or other financial issues in your history.

You’re not required to stick with this lender when you ultimately finance your purchase, but this process is a great way to vet mortgage providers. Also, a prequalification letter can make you a more competitive candidate in multiple-offer situations.

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Step 4: Choose Your Real Estate Expert

Now it’s time to find your dedicated real estate representative! Regulations enacted in 2024 require real estate agents to obtain a signed buyer’s agreement before showing consumers homes. Of course, your agent does a great deal more than opening up listings; Your agent can help you understand your local market, identify areas and properties that fit your specific criteria, help you create competitive offers that match your financial and logistical needs, and much more.

Dedicated Service, Real Results

Finding the perfect home and navigating the purchase process can be daunting. Leverage my knowledge and expertise and enjoy your personalized real estate journey.

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Step 5: Find the Right Home

Your agent will arrange showings of properties that meet your specific criteria and price range, taking note of your likes and dislikes to further refine their search parameters. Your agent will help you explore the details — from storage to light switches to the flow of a home — and understand the pros and cons of the options in front of you. Your agent will also help you make time to explore the neighborhood and examine elements like local traffic at different times of the day, parking options, and proximity to neighborhood amenities like schools and grocery stores.

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Step 6: Finalize Your Financing

Once you’ve narrowed down your home search, it’s time to go back to the mortgage provider who prequalified you in step three and obtain preapproval. With a property and purchase price in mind, your lender can get much more specific about your interest rate, monthly payments, the term of the loan, and special programs such as first-time homebuyer grants and loans through the VA and FHA. While you will primarily work with your bank to select the right options for you, I'm here (Your agent) to offer support and recommend a mortgage provider I've worked with in the past if you get stuck.

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Step 7: Make an Offer

Once you have selected the perfect home and have your finances in order, your agent will help you craft a fair offer price based on the value of comparable homes on the market. You’ll also work through details such as timing, contingencies, and fees. After your agent submits the offer on your behalf, your agent will help you negotiate counteroffers and reach an agreement with the seller. At this point, the house will go into escrow.

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Step 8: Have the Home Inspected

In most cases, your offer will be contingent on the home passing inspection. This protects you from purchasing a property that has serious structural issues or requires major repairs. Your agent has a list of trusted local providers, but you can hire any licensed home inspector you like. If the inspection uncovers major issues, you can withdraw from the sale or renegotiate your offer based on what needs to be fixed.

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Step 9: Obtain a Home Appraisal

The appraisal ensures that you are paying a fair price for the house. Your mortgage provider will hire an appraiser to inspect the property and offer an independent opinion of its value. Sometimes, appraisals may come in too low, which can impact the amount of money the bank is willing to lend. In this case, your agent can help you determine next steps and navigate the appeal process.

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Step 10: Complete the Paperwork

No one looks forward to all the paperwork stacked up on the closing table, 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 be the legal owner of your new home.

Success Stories

Testimonials

"Tammy Alexander did not just do an admirable job on the sale of our Wake Foresr home, but she also oversaw our purchase of another. Both sides were seamless! In addition, she has stayed in touch with us with other helpful market insights as well as friendly investment tips. When I needed a suggestion for a service person in the area, Tammy was a great resource. She was willing to lend a hand to a family in a rough patch--even when there was no financial upside for her--she cares about our community. We know we will call Tammy when we are ready to sell/buy again."
"Tammy Alexander did not just do an admirable job on the sale of our Wake Foresr home, but she also oversaw our purchase of another. Both sides were seamless! In addition, she has stayed in touch with us with other helpful market insights as well as friendly investment tips. When I needed a suggestion for a service person in the area, Tammy was a great resource. She was willing to lend a hand to a family in a rough patch--even when there was no financial upside for her--she cares about our community. We know we will call Tammy when we are ready to sell/buy again."
Christine DiGiacomo
"Tammy was amazing to work with! She helped us both sell our home and buy our new one. Not only is she super knowledgeable, but she is a hard worker, was always willing and available to answer all of our many questions and she went above and beyond to get us the best price for the sale of our home. She was on top of everything during the build of our new home and was present during inspections/walkthroughs etc. I would most definitely use her again and will be happy to refer her to my friends and family."
"Tammy was amazing to work with! She helped us both sell our home and buy our new one. Not only is she super knowledgeable, but she is a hard worker, was always willing and available to answer all of our many questions and she went above and beyond to get us the best price for the sale of our home. She was on top of everything during the build of our new home and was present during inspections/walkthroughs etc. I would most definitely use her again and will be happy to refer her to my friends and family."
Denae Beaudet
"It is my pleasure to be able to say a few words about my friend Tammy, who was great to work with from the very start. Tammy is a parent, talks about her family. She is incredibly smart, knows her business, insightful and will fight to get you the best price for your "house"! She cares about people. You can trust her! Let her help you to sell your "house"! "
"It is my pleasure to be able to say a few words about my friend Tammy, who was great to work with from the very start. Tammy is a parent, talks about her family. She is incredibly smart, knows her business, insightful and will fight to get you the best price for your "house"! She cares about people. You can trust her! Let her help you to sell your "house"! "
Clifford Bell
"We had an excellent experience working with Tammy. She helped us find the perfect piece of land much quicker than we ever expected and guided us seamlessly through the process. On top of that, she sold our home for over asking, which far exceeded our expectations. Tammy’s professionalism, responsiveness, and deep knowledge of the market made the entire experience stress-free. We would highly recommend her to anyone looking to buy or sell a home."
"We had an excellent experience working with Tammy. She helped us find the perfect piece of land much quicker than we ever expected and guided us seamlessly through the process. On top of that, she sold our home for over asking, which far exceeded our expectations. Tammy’s professionalism, responsiveness, and deep knowledge of the market made the entire experience stress-free. We would highly recommend her to anyone looking to buy or sell a home."
Ryan Wilson
"I have to feel pretty inspired to write a review and in this case, I am. Tammy handled buying my new home as well as selling my old home and she made both typically stressful tasks virtually stress-free. I attribute this mainly to two things. First, her knowledge and expertise is exceptional. This was clear right from the start and I felt very fortunate being in such capable hands. Second, she is the definition of what it means to be on top of everything. I am detail-oriented and like to get things done well before they need to be done. I could quickly tell that Tammy was the same way. I never once felt like I needed to check up on anything or make sure she wasn’t missing something - I already knew she was on it. I just had complete confidence and I was correct to have that confidence because she was always one step ahead. She was super responsive to texts, emails, and calls. I can’t remember ever having to wait for her to get back to me. Just the simple fact of knowing that I didn’t need to check up on anything and that I was in thoroughly capable hands took away 90% of the stress involved in both buying a home and selling a home. If I ever have to do either again, there is no question she will be my first phone call. I highly and without reservation recommend her. Would give 10 stars if I could."
"I have to feel pretty inspired to write a review and in this case, I am. Tammy handled buying my new home as well as selling my old home and she made both typically stressful tasks virtually stress-free. I attribute this mainly to two things. First, her knowledge and expertise is exceptional. This was clear right from the start and I felt very fortunate being in such capable hands. Second, she is the definition of what it means to be on top of everything. I am detail-oriented and like to get things done well before they need to be done. I could quickly tell that Tammy was the same way. I never once felt like I needed to check up on anything or make sure she wasn’t missing something - I already knew she was on it. I just had complete confidence and I was correct to have that confidence because she was always one step ahead. She was super responsive to texts, emails, and calls. I can’t remember ever having to wait for her to get back to me. Just the simple fact of knowing that I didn’t need to check up on anything and that I was in thoroughly capable hands took away 90% of the stress involved in both buying a home and selling a home. If I ever have to do either again, there is no question she will be my first phone call. I highly and without reservation recommend her. Would give 10 stars if I could."
Allison N.
"Tammy was recommended to us by a close personal friend. Within a few days, we were meeting with her in person to discuss the sale of our house and the timeline that would work best for our family. Tammy was up to the challenge and sold our home in 5 days! She guided us every step of the way and kept us calm in the midst of all the stress. We appreciate her attention to details and her efforts to make our home sale a smooth process. She did an outstanding job!"
"Tammy was recommended to us by a close personal friend. Within a few days, we were meeting with her in person to discuss the sale of our house and the timeline that would work best for our family. Tammy was up to the challenge and sold our home in 5 days! She guided us every step of the way and kept us calm in the midst of all the stress. We appreciate her attention to details and her efforts to make our home sale a smooth process. She did an outstanding job!"
Michael Webb
"Tammy was recommended to us by family who also moved to North Carolina from out of state. They loved her and so did we. She put us at ease at our first meeting and constantly impressed us with her knowledge and professionalism. But more than anything else, we were impressed with her honesty and integrity. She was genuinely concerned that we found the house we wanted and was quick to point out the pros and cons during viewings. Tammy found the perfect house for us at exactly our price point. If you want an agent who puts you first over a quick sale and is a pleasure to be with, call Tammy Alexander."
"Tammy was recommended to us by family who also moved to North Carolina from out of state. They loved her and so did we. She put us at ease at our first meeting and constantly impressed us with her knowledge and professionalism. But more than anything else, we were impressed with her honesty and integrity. She was genuinely concerned that we found the house we wanted and was quick to point out the pros and cons during viewings. Tammy found the perfect house for us at exactly our price point. If you want an agent who puts you first over a quick sale and is a pleasure to be with, call Tammy Alexander."
William Carter
"Tammy sold our home at the same time she assisted us with the purchase of another home which should have been a stressful set of transactions. Due to Tammy’s professionalism and incredible attention to detail, both transactions went incredible smooth. Tammy is extremely intelligent, personable and highly knowledgeable of the real estate market. She is tough but fair during negotiations, and most of all extremely reliable. I have moved numerous times in my lifetime and I would put Tammy in the 1% category of all real estate agents, tied for #1 and a rare gem in an industry where real estate agents are inconsistent at best. If you are seeking a real estate agent, look no further than Tammy Alexander!"
"Tammy sold our home at the same time she assisted us with the purchase of another home which should have been a stressful set of transactions. Due to Tammy’s professionalism and incredible attention to detail, both transactions went incredible smooth. Tammy is extremely intelligent, personable and highly knowledgeable of the real estate market. She is tough but fair during negotiations, and most of all extremely reliable. I have moved numerous times in my lifetime and I would put Tammy in the 1% category of all real estate agents, tied for #1 and a rare gem in an industry where real estate agents are inconsistent at best. If you are seeking a real estate agent, look no further than Tammy Alexander!"
Steven Jeffes
"Tammy was exceptional! From start to finish, her responsiveness and local market knowledge made the process smooth and stress‑free. She listened to exactly what we wanted, explained everything clearly, and negotiated an excellent deal. We felt supported and confident at every step. Highly recommend!"
"Tammy was exceptional! From start to finish, her responsiveness and local market knowledge made the process smooth and stress‑free. She listened to exactly what we wanted, explained everything clearly, and negotiated an excellent deal. We felt supported and confident at every step. Highly recommend!"
Brandon Metzel
"Our experience with Tammy Alexander was exceptional. We were looking to relocate my parents from West Virginia to North Carolina which was no small task. Through the entire process, Tammy was very patient, very knowledgeable regarding all the real estate laws that seem to constantly change, and very responsive to any questions that arose concerning the properties that we toured. She paid attention to all of my parents' requests in a new home, and found a home that fit within their budget. Tammy never lost faith in over two years of searching for my parents next home even when we felt that finding a home for them might be an impossible mission. She truly cares about her clients. Should i ever need a realtor again, Tammy will be my first call."
"Our experience with Tammy Alexander was exceptional. We were looking to relocate my parents from West Virginia to North Carolina which was no small task. Through the entire process, Tammy was very patient, very knowledgeable regarding all the real estate laws that seem to constantly change, and very responsive to any questions that arose concerning the properties that we toured. She paid attention to all of my parents' requests in a new home, and found a home that fit within their budget. Tammy never lost faith in over two years of searching for my parents next home even when we felt that finding a home for them might be an impossible mission. She truly cares about her clients. Should i ever need a realtor again, Tammy will be my first call."
Karen & Todd Darroch
"I was fortunate enough to work with Tammy Alexander in buying and selling a home in Youngsville, NC. Tammy exemplifies a caring demeanor and professional aptitude that far surpasses what a typical real estate agent brings to the table. Her commitment to doing what’s right for her customers is tangible through an unparalleled attention to detail, a generous heart, and a sincere devotion to exceptional customer service. In addition, she masterfully incorporates her negotiation skills throughout the entire process. If you want an agent that cares about you and your personal situation, then look no further than Tammy Alexander. She will put you first!"
"I was fortunate enough to work with Tammy Alexander in buying and selling a home in Youngsville, NC. Tammy exemplifies a caring demeanor and professional aptitude that far surpasses what a typical real estate agent brings to the table. Her commitment to doing what’s right for her customers is tangible through an unparalleled attention to detail, a generous heart, and a sincere devotion to exceptional customer service. In addition, she masterfully incorporates her negotiation skills throughout the entire process. If you want an agent that cares about you and your personal situation, then look no further than Tammy Alexander. She will put you first!"
Tammy D.
"Tammy is an excellent real estate agent to work with. She is very personable, timely, always professional and she will make the process as seamless as possible. "
"Tammy is an excellent real estate agent to work with. She is very personable, timely, always professional and she will make the process as seamless as possible. "
Chris
"Tammy worked with us to help find a home here in Raleigh for my mother-in-law who was moving down from Minnesota. Tammy was very proactive in finding the right townhouse for her. She communicated frequently with us on status and was great at working with my mother-in-law remotely. She also helped with finding a realtor to work with in MN for helping my mother-in-law sell her house. Tammy is a fantastic negotiator and helped us work through getting the best deal for the townhouse. My mother-in-law is very happy with her move here. Tammy helped make that transition very smooth. I highly recommend hiring her as your realtor."
"Tammy worked with us to help find a home here in Raleigh for my mother-in-law who was moving down from Minnesota. Tammy was very proactive in finding the right townhouse for her. She communicated frequently with us on status and was great at working with my mother-in-law remotely. She also helped with finding a realtor to work with in MN for helping my mother-in-law sell her house. Tammy is a fantastic negotiator and helped us work through getting the best deal for the townhouse. My mother-in-law is very happy with her move here. Tammy helped make that transition very smooth. I highly recommend hiring her as your realtor."
Rachel Velthuisen
"Tammy was an excellent realtor! She was extremely knowledgeable on the entire home buying process. She also had a great understanding of the quality and detail of the homes we looked at. She was able to answer all of our questions and always responded to texts and phone calls in a very timely manner. We were first time home buyers and she made the process as stress free as she could. Would definitely recommend."
"Tammy was an excellent realtor! She was extremely knowledgeable on the entire home buying process. She also had a great understanding of the quality and detail of the homes we looked at. She was able to answer all of our questions and always responded to texts and phone calls in a very timely manner. We were first time home buyers and she made the process as stress free as she could. Would definitely recommend."
Ben Voorhis
"We recently had the pleasure of working with Tammy to purchase our first home, and we could not be happier with the experience. From the very beginning, Tammy was extremely helpful, knowledgeable and supportive. She took the time to understand our needs and preferences, guiding us through every step of the home-buying process with patience and expertise. Tammy was always available to quickly answer questions and address any concerns that we had, making us feel confident and reassured throughout the journey. Tammy's dedication to finding us the perfect home was evident in the way she provided valuable insights and provided us with multiple properties that met our requirements. Her exceptional negotiating skills ensured that we got the best possible deal on our new home. What truly stood out was Tammy's genuine care for our well-being. She went above and beyond to ensure we were informed, comfortable, and making the entire experience smooth and low stress. Thanks to Tammy, we were able to find the perfect home for us, and we are extremely grateful for her exceptional service. We highly recommend Tammy to anyone looking to buy or sell a home. Her professionalism, expertise, and heartfelt approach make her an outstanding real estate agent. Thank you again, Tammy, for helping us achieve this milestone!"
"We recently had the pleasure of working with Tammy to purchase our first home, and we could not be happier with the experience. From the very beginning, Tammy was extremely helpful, knowledgeable and supportive. She took the time to understand our needs and preferences, guiding us through every step of the home-buying process with patience and expertise. Tammy was always available to quickly answer questions and address any concerns that we had, making us feel confident and reassured throughout the journey. Tammy's dedication to finding us the perfect home was evident in the way she provided valuable insights and provided us with multiple properties that met our requirements. Her exceptional negotiating skills ensured that we got the best possible deal on our new home. What truly stood out was Tammy's genuine care for our well-being. She went above and beyond to ensure we were informed, comfortable, and making the entire experience smooth and low stress. Thanks to Tammy, we were able to find the perfect home for us, and we are extremely grateful for her exceptional service. We highly recommend Tammy to anyone looking to buy or sell a home. Her professionalism, expertise, and heartfelt approach make her an outstanding real estate agent. Thank you again, Tammy, for helping us achieve this milestone!"
Ashley Voorhis

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