Make us a part of your home buying team

Buying your first home? Here are three real estate professionals who will play a big role in your leap from renting to owning your own home:

Mortgage loan officer. Before you look at a single home, you should get pre-approved for financing from a reputable mortgage company. Once you’re pre-approved, you can begin your home search. By visiting with a lender first, you’ll know how much home you can reasonably afford and you’ll be able to make legitimate offers on any homes that meet your criteria.

Real estate agent. There’s a reason that nearly 90 percent of home buyers purchase their homes with the help of a real estate agent or broker. (That’s a percentage that has steadily increased from 69 percent in 2001!) An agent can guide you through one of the most important — not to mention largest — purchases of your life. Assistance from an experienced real estate professional is vital.

Home inspector. Many home buyers make offers contingent upon a home inspection. Without a professional home inspection, you may miss issues or problems that potentially could cost you a lot of money. It’s well worth the cost. A home inspector could spend several hours canvassing the property to give you an idea of the home’s condition.