Whether you’ve bought a home before or this is your first journey, everyone’s journey is unique and needs some hand-holding. You have an idea of how it all works, but know that the realtor you choose has a huge part in choosing the best option for you and seeing it through. This is something I don’t take lightly! With so many realtors to choose from I know your choice is often not an easy one and feels overwhelming.
(or this ain’t your first rodeo but you still need help)
and are looking to buy your first home.
You’ve reached prime adulthood
under list price on avg for buyers
1.1%
Homes Sold
50+
Years of experience
5
Gross sales
$25 million
peep these stats
where you’re at
I Understand
You’re buying your first home (or second!) and it’s overwhelming
You need a realtor you can trust who isn’t pushy
You want to make sure you buy a home that won’t lose value
You aren’t sure how to get your current house in shape to sell
You need a realtor with lots of experience.
She was always ready to show me properties and answer my questions. The lines of communication stayed open at all times. She showed us home after home til we found the one! I couldn't have asked for a better agent to help us through this journey. I WILL recommend her to anyone who needs an agent.
I never once felt like I was wasting her time.
Many of my first time home buyer clients have their parents involved in the process since they are typically home owners and have been through the home buying journey. I’m happy to include them in the process, but I do know things have often changed a LOT since they bought a home.
your parents are helping you in this process.
Here’s something else I know about you:
things your parents might say during the home buying process...
01
"Mortgage insurance is a waste of money. Save until you have 20% down."
02
With our average home price around $600,000, saving 20% down means saving over $120,000. Of course, no one wants to pay mortgage insurance, but saving six figures is nearly impossible for most first time buyers.
Furthermore, with real estate prices outpacing inflation in recent years, its rare for buyers savings to keep pace. Instead, we suggest our clients buy as soon as they are in a smart position to do so. We recommend they use a lower down payment and in a couple years, they can use equity accrued to refinance and remove mortgage insurance.
FHA loans require 3.5% down and the mortgage insurance stays on for the life of the loan. Conventional loans require at least 3% down and mortgage insurance can drop incrementally as the loan gets paid down. VA loans require 0% down and don’t require a monthly mortgage insurance payment.
03
"Make sure you don’t get an adjustable rate mortgage or bubble loan."
02
Adjustable Rate Mortgages (ARM), Interest only loans, and bubble loans were common practices in real estate markets in the past. In today’s market we primarily offer fixed rate, 30 year loans with no pre-payment penalties. Although ARMs are making a slow come back, it is not something I personally recommend, especially to first time buyers.
04
"Don’t buy in a hot market. Wait until the market crashes."
02
While this advice is certainly logical and idealistic, buying at the absolute optimal time requires fortune telling skills. We certainly watch economic indicators to help us make informed decisions, but I have had a lot of first time buyers waiting for years because they are sure a decline in price is imminent.
We want to make sure you are able to comfortably pay your mortgage payment every month, that you can see yourself happy in this home for the next couple years, and that you have an exit strategy for when your are ready to move on.
So long as we have those pieces set up, you should be in a good position to smartly start investing your money into real estate, as soon as you are able to. Remember, once we get to 80% loan to value, we can remove your mortgage insurance and lower your monthly payments.
04
"I can’t imagine spending that much on my first home. "
02
Me either! I remember crying when I realized I was going to have to pay almost $200,000 for my first home and it was ugly! But I sold it two years later and made $120,000. Obviously, I can’t guarantee these results to everyone, but the Denver market has had a strong run in recent years and one of the upsides is quick building equity.
With that said, I never intent to push someone to spend more than they are comfortable with on a home. We will always discuss how the purchase fits within your budget and I will make sure you understand how that purchase price translates into monthly payment.
04
"Have them pay your closing costs."
02
I would LOVE to be able to have every seller pay my buyers closing costs, but that’s just unfortunately not the norm in the market as of late. However, I have been able to negotiate for this when necessary, as deemed by my clients financial situation.
As markets soften, we will have more room to make these requests regularly. Until then, we will always work to get you the best price possible and make sure the terms of your purchase, overall, fit your needs.
04
"Make sure it passes inspection. "
02
It is a common misconception that home inspections are pass/fail. Instead, our inspectors comb through the house to find as much information as possible and inform our buyer on the condition of the home. From there, the buyer and I determine whether we will ask the seller to complete repairs, provide financial compensation in lieu of repairs, or terminate the contract if we don’t believe a resolution is possible.
Please be aware that the circumstances for a buyer to terminate after inspection are very rare. Most problems within a home are fixable but the buyer has autonomy in making this decision.
I have networked with many inspectors over the years and collected a small group of those I love working with! My favorite inspectors are incredibly thorough, knowledgeable in many trades, and have a lot of experience explaining their findings in simple language.
04
"Take advantage of those First Time Home Buyer programs."
02
While there are some great programs out there aiming to make home ownership easier to achieve for first time buyers, many of these come with a cost or have very challenging requirements to meet.
One that we use often is called CHFA. CHFA will grant or lend the funds for the down payment in lieu of a slightly higher interest rate. CHFA is income restricted but not too stringent and is well known and regularly used. Buyers rarely run into speed bumps with this program.
If there are others that may be available to you based on your circumstances, I definitely recommend bringing them up to your lender. If your lender is not well versed in that program, I will be happy to help connect you to someone who is.
things included
While working with me:
Melissa, found and brokered the purchase of your new wonderful home as well as listed and sold our old house in no time. Thanks Melissa for making our biggest purchase of a lifetime as smooth as it possibly could be. Kudos to you and your associates for a job well done.
she was quick to get our offer in to the seller and negotiate the deal.
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We'll purchase and/or sell your home and have a smooth closing.
I'll take care of any inspection issues and home staging.
We’ll work together to figure out what you can afford and will bring you the most wealth in the long run.
Excellent.
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KIND WORDS
She was very informative throughout the entire process and answering all of my questions (there were many)! She helped guide me through each step and I really felt like her approach set me up for success. She was not pushy about what’s available in the market and didn’t rush me – she let me decide which houses I I wanted to see. Within a month or so, I had an offer accepted on my now home! We didn’t have to battle through the craziness of the market and it was surprisingly… dare I say… easy?
She was not pushy about what’s available in the market and didn’t rush me.
Melissa helped us with both a purchase and sell of a home. As transplants to the Denver metro area her expertise was critical in understanding were we wanted to live. She made both the purchase and sell of our home such a seamless, easy, and efficient transaction which is a huge help in such a stressful period. Her negotiating skills got us more money for the sell of our home! Whether you’re moving to the area or already living here, you owe it to yourself to have Melissa help you for an easy and fun real estate transaction!
As transplants to the Denver metro area her expertise was critical in understanding were we wanted to live.
We needed help on how to handle our closing situation when our builder decided to raise the purchase price on our home 24hrs before we closed. Melissa not only took the time to find the contact information for the VP of sales and marketing but also guided us on how to present our argument. I believe that is what saved us from having to pay a higher price on the home and having our monthly mortgage payment go up. They also refunded us a portion of the down payment. This gal knows her stuff. She will definitely be our go to for any of our future real estate needs. You made our Christmas!
Melissa is a life saver to say the least.
I have sold and purchased multiple homes and Melissa is the first realtor that I have worked with that I was super confident in her performance. Her knowledge for general real estate, home staging, area expertise, and general "go get them" attitude made the transaction seamless. We appreciated her open communication style and availability to answer any questions we had throughout the process. We also really appreciated her huge rolodex of resources from loan agent, home inspectors, means of listing our home, photographers, professional stagers, cleaners, etc. You name it, she has someone for the job!
Her knowledge of Reunion selling market and overall Colorado market was pivotal.
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The real estate world is always changing and I’m positive things have changed since your parents last bought a home. Download this free guide to learn how things have changed in the home buying process in the last several years.
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I can’t wait to share in your home buying journey. Together we can make smart real estate decisions to buy your dream home while maximizing your wealth.
