Buyer Guide
GUIDING YOU HOME
STEPS TO CLOSING
Get Pre-Approved:
It’s important to start your home search with getting pre-approved with a reputable mortgage broker. This process will make sure you’re financially ready to purchase, understand your monthly payment budget, and are qualified and ready to make an offer when you find “the one!”
VIEWING HOMES:
Before you start viewing homes, it’s essential to prepare yourself to make the most informed decision. This involves researching properties you’re interested in, scheduling tours, and assessing each one thoroughly to determine if they meet your needs and preferences.
YOUR OFFER IS ACCEPTED:
Once you’ve found the perfect home and your offer has been accepted, the next step is to open escrow and initiate the transaction. This marks the official start of the buying process, leading you closer to becoming the proud owner of your new property.
HOME INSPECTION:
When it comes to the home inspection phase, you will arrange for an inspection to verify that the property aligns with your expectations. This stage might also encompass discussions about necessary repairs or adjustments.
APPRAISAL:
An appraisal will be conducted to determine the property’s market value. If the sale is a cash transaction, you can skip this step.
COMPLETING REPAIRS:
After inspections and appraisal, any agreed-upon repairs must be completed. This step is essential to meet the terms of the contract and maintain a positive relationship with the seller.
FINAL DOCUMENTATION ROUNDUP:
As the closing date approaches, there is a flurry of paperwork to finalize the transaction. I will ensure all necessary documents are collected, reviewed, and prepared for the closing appointment with escrow.
SIGNING CLOSING DOCUMENTS WITH ESCROW:
At the closing meeting, you and the seller will sign all necessary documents to transfer ownership of the property. An escrow officer will oversee this process, ensuring that all funds are distributed correctly, and the that title is transferred smoothly.
GUIDING YOU HOME
WHEN CONSIDERING A HOME PURCHASE, YOUR OFFER IS MOST LIKELY CONTINGENT ON A PROFESSIONAL HOME INSPECTION.
A home inspector goes beyond surface aesthetics to ensure that the fundamental systems of the property are functioning correctly. They carefully examine these systems to make sure they are in good working order.
The inspector diligently looks for substantial repairs that may require negotiation with the seller. Their aim is to ensure that you are well-informed about any potential costly issues.
The inspector assesses the necessary maintenance tasks that are essential to keeping the home in optimal condition. This insight helps you plan for the ongoing care of the property.
I also have a network of recommended contacts, including trusted home inspectors. Alternatively, you can seek recommendations from friends and family who have had positive experiences with their inspectors.
It’s essential to understand that no home is flawless. My role is to guide you through the negotiation process, leveraging the inspector’s findings to help you make informed decisions about your home purchase.
Client Value
Guiding You Home is my slogan because I value my clients and take their desires very seriously throughout the home-buying process. From strategic searches and fair pricing, to offer crafting and transaction management, I’m here every step of the way to ensure your homeownership dreams become a reality.
My home-searching strategy is designed to ensure you don’t overlook any properties that meet your criteria. This process prioritizes elimination over random selection.
We’ll explore homes together, and I’ll provide you with any available information about the property. I’ll be by your side to answer your questions and offer my support.
I will perform a market analysis on your preferred homes to ensure you’re not paying more than the fair market value.
I will help you draft a competitive offer to increase your chances of securing your dream property. Additionally, I will negotiate contract terms that align with your specific needs.
I serve as your transaction manager, overseeing the various components involved in the transaction to ensure a timely and successful closing.
EXPENSES TO EXPECT
Earnest Money
Generally 1% of purchase price
This is to be paid within 3 business days of offer acceptance in the form of a check or wire that is deposited with escrow & goes towards your down payment. How much are you “willing to put on the line?”
Appraisal
Generally between $700-$1,000
Appraisal usually occurs within 3 weeks of offer acceptance. It’s paid by check, cash from account, card or rolled into closing costs. These are ordered by your lender and is non-refundable once appraisal has been completed.
Whole House Inspection
Generally $500 with possible add-ons
Inspection is complete within 2 weeks of acceptance, generally via check or card and is non-refundable once inspection has been completed. If the property has well or septic, more inspections are recommended.
Closing Costs, Prepaids & Reserves
Generally 3% of purchase price
These are paid at closing (2 days before getting keys.) Consult with your lender for full cost breakdown (tax prepaids, lender fees, escrow fees, etc.) Costs are paid in the form of a cashier’s check or wire and sometimes can be negotiated for the seller to pay.
MEET YOUR AGENT:
Brooke Hamby
I am ready to assist clients throughout the home buying and selling process. Through due diligence, professional knowledge and skills, I commit to standing beside my clients throughout their transactions. While controlling the process, my clients feel confident to make all of the decisions. I look forward to guiding you home and helping you achieve all of your real estate goals.
WHY TRIPLE OAKS REALTY?
Triple Oaks Realty is Oregon’s premier real estate brokerage. We realize first hand the importance of an honest and hard working real estate broker who is focused on uncompromising service and professional guidance. We help you put down roots.
OREGON’S PREMIER REAL ESTATE BROKERAGE
Get Pre-Approved
CONSIDER THESE LENDERS:
WHY IS PRE-APPROVAL IMPORTANT?
Being pre-approved is a crucial step that helps you understand your budget, gives you an advantage in a competitive market, and streamlines the home buying process while providing financial security and peace of mind. It can also help avoid disappointment and can often come with the option to lock in a favorable interest rate.
WORDS FROM MY HAPPY CLIENTS
Billy & Bethany:
You know you have a great realtor when the worst part about finding a home is the fact that you don’t see them anymore. That’s exactly how we feel about Brooke Hamby! As first time home buyers, we didn’t know where to start the process of finding a home. Brooke sat down with us and answered all of our questions. She informed us on all we needed to know about when it came to finding, pursuing, and purchasing a home. Our home search was very specific – what we were looking for needed to be in a certain price range, have enough space to start a family, one where our business could thrive, and so on. For over a year Brooke stood by us and committed herself to finding us a home!
Throughout our home search she showed us countless homes and provided us detailed information on each particular one. We had so many questions with each home we looked at and she answered nearly all of them. If she didn’t know the answer, she was quick to reach out to her resources to find the information we needed and reported back to us within a timely manner. At one point, we told her we wanted to switch to another loan company and she recommended a loan agent she worked with recently. We later switched to that loan agent who turned out to be wonderful!
A year into our home search there was a home we put down an offer because we really loved the neighborhood. We were very disappointed our offer wasn’t accepted. Brooke was kind enough to send out letters to the residents in that neighborhood asking them if they were thinking of selling their home that she has some clients that would be interested. Even though there were no home sellers that came from that, the fact that she took the time to send out letters meant a lot.
After a long home search, we finally found “the one.” The whole process of escrow, inspections, contractors, and so on was a foreign territory for us. Brooke was in constant contact with us every step of the way, explaining the process as we were experiencing it firsthand. The day before the appraisal inspection, Brooke sent us a photo of the home’s deck ramp. She literally bought a can of paint and touched up the ramp’s deck in order to prevent any potential delay with the inspection. Also, we were waiting for some contactor work to get done on the home and she suggested to the seller for her husband, who’s a licensed contractor, to get the work done. So, her husband ended up doing some of the work that needed to be done at the home. Talk about going above and beyond!
Brooke led us through the closing process and informed us every step of the way. We thought the process of home buying would be stressful but thanks to her it was far from that. Without Brooke we wouldn’t have foundour very first home or become home Owners.
You can trust Brooke – she is upfront, open, honest, and goes the extra mile for her clients. Plus she knows her stuff and is clearly passionate about it!
Joe & Myndi:
In 2021 we decided it was time to buy a house as we had just got married in 2020. A family member highly recommended Brooke, and I tell you what, it was the best recommendation ever, Brooke was by our side since that first phone call to our final offer and even after buying our home. Brooke was very informative of what the process entailed, she worked very closely with Susan Duke our lender, who helped us get approved and worked side by side with Brooke, Joe and I in the entire house buying process. I loved the working relationship with Brooke and Susan, when we would make an offer on a house, Susan would have numbers for us to view in a matter of minutes, we always knew what our approximate closing cost and mortgage rate would be for each home we bid on. 2021 was a rough market, so many house to pick from, but Brooke went above and beyond to show us all the houses we wanted to see (we looked at so many). We found a home, we loved it, made an offer, they accepted. We were so EXCITED, then it was inspection time, it ended up falling through. We were devastated, but Brooke just continued to assure us and always said “Everything will fall into place, Trust the process”. We decided that we wanted to wait to buy a house and that it was not the right time for us to take this step.
Throughout the next 2 years, we continued to stay in touch, she reached out often to see how we were doing, keep us informed with interest rates and the housing market changes. We formed a friendship that is not just about being our realtor. FINALLY, January of 2024, we decided to try again. I called Brooke and we started the process all over again. We had found a house that we were very interested in, she got us a showing and we looked at a few others we were interested in, but it was not the one we had our hearts set on. We proceeded with the process, put in our offer, did a counteroffer and then it was accepted!!! The process was so smooth, and everything fell into place.
We are proud homeowners now, with the amazing help of Brooke. She was not kidding when she said, “Everything will fall into place, Trust the process”. She Guided us Home and I could not recommend another realtor that is so passionate for the work that she does. She is understanding, knowledgeable and will work with you (even when you want to view 5 houses in a week). She goes above and beyond to make dreams come true. You are making the best choice contacting Brooke to guide you home.
Tyler & Melissa:
A friend recommended Brooke to us after their amazing experience purchasing their home. We had been working with a realtor but did not feel we were getting anything from them (we were doing all the “legwork.”) Brooke did so much more than we ever expected from a realtor. She took the time to get to know us, our family, our goals, what we were looking for and why. She offered ideas on how to blend some of these. She offered advice but NEVER pushed an “agenda” or tried to sell us on ANYTHING. She was ALWAYS available and answered every question fully (including our many follow ups). Often we would send an email or text with the caveat “don’t respond now, it’s late/early or the weekend” etc. and we never waited for responses from her. If she didn’t know the answer she researched, connected with her resources or would connect us with an expert in that subject. We never felt we were being handed off, only that we were getting the best!
She helped us find the perfect buyer for our bare land, for our home and helped us purchase our new home. She guided us through the WHOLE process, how to make the best impression for our sales and smart options for deciding prices and offers. She always let us make our own decisions but offered pros and cons for the options.
We felt like we were meeting up with a friend every time we worked with Brooke. When our processes were over we missed our friend! She’s a professional that you want in your life beyond the work-she’s just a great person and surrounds herself with other great people. Everyone we worked with through Brooke was also professional and just great humans. (Lender, title adjuster, etc!) We refer anyone and everyone looking for a realtor to Brooke and anyone who has followed our advice has been pleased with our recommendation! We have even received annual updates on our purchase and information from her as the market has made drastic changes.