Buy or Sell Real Estate Today

America's Real Estate Experts, is your local near me Northwest, Indiana and surrounding areas, Steps to buy a House, Home Buying Real Estate Brokerage. We offer so much more value to you then just being awesome Real Estate Agents. Our 3 Companies, 1 Home Motto is a testament to our knowledge inside the entire Property Ownership Life Cycle. There is a HUGE benefit to having ONE Point of Contact who helps you buy your first home, guides you in the remodeling process, tailors advice to your specific needs ensuring a return on your investment, and when the time comes, listing your home back at the peak of the market. This streamlining of services SAVES YOU TENS-Of-THOUSANDS over your Property Ownership Lifetime.

America's Real Estate Experts, is your local near me Portage, Indiana and surrounding areas, Home Buying Real Estate Brokerage. Steps to buy a house. Looking to buy a house in Indiana? Whether you're actively house hunting or just starting to browse homes on Zillow, it is never too early to find a great Indiana Realtor. When choosing a real estate agent an experienced agent can help you navigate a tricky local market, explore your financial options, and negotiate the best deal possible when buying a house. In addition to finding and showing you properties, your real estate agent will help you make offers, negotiate contracts, and navigate the closing process. Plus, they can recommend other service providers (like title companies and inspectors) to help you buy your house in Indiana. 

America's Real Estate Experts, is your local near me Chesterton, Indiana and surrounding areas, Steps to Buy a House, Home Buying Real Estate Brokerage. Choosing a real estate agent. With the changes in August 2024 from the lawsuit against the National Association of Realtors, buyers now need to negotiate the cost of hiring a realtor directly with their real estate agent. While it's still likely that the seller of the home you buy will offer a concession to cover your agent, it isn't a guarantee. We recommend interviewing multiple buyer’s agents to compare their rates and service and to find one you feel comfortable with.  The main change affecting buyers, which became law in Indiana July 1, 2024. State legislators passed House Enrolled Act 1068, is buyers must sign a written contract with a real estate agent before touring any home. The agreement must include an end date. Get all the facts below. Find information for both buying and selling houses.

America's Real Estate Experts, is your local near me Michigan City, Indiana and surrounding areas, Home Buying Real Estate Brokerage. Steps to buy a house. Your down-payment is the first part of your home's purchase price that you pay at closing. Your mortgage lender pays the remaining balance. ​​A down payment can be up to 20% of the home's final price. In Indiana, that could mean paying up to $54,300 for a $243,700 home. If you put less money down, your mortgage lender will typically require you to get private mortgage insurance (PMI) on the loan. That can save you money upfront but increase your monthly mortgage payment and total interest costs over the life of the loan. However, if you can't afford to put that much down at closing, or want to hold onto more of your cash to cover other home-buying expenses, some government-backed loans have lower down payment mortgage options. Think of us when choosing a real estate agent. 

America's Real Estate Experts, is your local near me Michigan City, Indiana and surrounding areas, Home Buying Real Estate Brokerage. Steps to buy a house. Mortgage pre-approval is a lender's conditional offer to lend you a maximum amount of money to buy a home. Most sellers in Indiana will ask for a mortgage pre-approval letter before showing you their home. It demonstrates that you are financially qualified to make an offer and can give you an advantage over buyers who don't have one. Pre-approval can be as simple as a 40-minute phone call with your lender or mortgage broker, a credit check, and sending them your proof of funds. Once you make an offer on a house in Indiana, you will start the initial mortgage application. To figure out if they can pre-approve you for a mortgage loan, mortgage companies usually check the following: Credit report, Credit score, Payment history, Monthly income, Debt-to-income ratio, and Employment History. Think of us when choosing a real estate agent. 

America's Real Estate Experts, is your local near me Michigan City, Indiana and surrounding areas, Home Buying Real Estate Brokerage. Steps to buy a house. Start zooming in on the best neighborhoods where home prices fall within your budget, and consider what you want out of your home. If home equity is most important to you, search where home values are rising the most. But don't forget about local culture and amenities that fit your lifestyle. Keep in mind that prices can vary dramatically from city to city and even from neighborhood to neighborhood. Talk with your real estate agent to determine how pricing varies by location. Also, look at past home value trends to determine how much of your home value could go up (or down) in the next few years, depending on your location. Let us help with all your buying and selling houses needs. 

America's Real Estate Experts, is your local near me Michigan City, Indiana and surrounding areas, Home Buying Real Estate Brokerage. Steps to buy a house.  Searching for homes in Indiana is the fun part of the home-buying process! Think of us when choosing a real estate agent. You will get to look at a variety of available listings and discover what you really want in a home. But before you start actively house hunting, it helps to determine when the best time is to buy a house in Indiana. As you’re house hunting, consider the full costs of owning a home, not just the monthly mortgage payments. Other potential costs of owning the home include maintenance and repairs, property taxes, homeowner's insurance, and HOA fees. Your realtor can help you understand which of your needs and wants fit your budget and favorite neighborhoods and adjust where possible. Once you have a good idea of what you’re looking for, your agent will search for homes on your local Multiple Listing Service (MLS), bring you top picks, and schedule viewings and tours.

America's Real Estate Experts, is your local near me Michigan City, Indiana and surrounding areas, Home Buying Real Estate Brokerage. Steps to buy a house. Once you find a house in Indiana that you love, it's time to make an offer. Your real estate agent will help you write an offer that will give you the best shot at convincing the homeowner to sell. Talk to your real estate agent to work out all your contingencies and concessions so you can act quickly and make a strong offer that gives you a good chance of winning the home. Part of your offer could include an earnest money deposit, which may be 1–2% of the purchase price. It's an incentive for the sellers to take the home off the market until closing. If the sale goes through, the earnest money goes toward your down payment, so you won't be anything additional out of pocket. The speed of your offer often depends on how fast the housing market is moving and how many houses are currently on the market. When houses are on the market for a short amount of time, it typically indicates that demand is high and houses are selling fast. July 2024, Indiana houses stayed on the market for an average of 48 days. When houses sit on the market for a while, demand may be lower, and you could have more time to make an offer. Last year in February, Indiana houses stayed on the market for an average of 82 days. Think of us when choosing a real estate agent. 

America's Real Estate Experts, is your local near me Michigan City, Indiana and surrounding areas, Home Buying Real Estate Brokerage. Steps to buy a house.  Having your house in Indiana inspected by a licensed inspector gives you peace of mind about the condition of the property before you commit thousands of dollars to purchase it. A licensed professional checks the house for any unseen, unexpected, or potential issues. Your inspector should check out the following parts of the property: Roof, Foundation, Electrical system, HVAC system and Plumbing. A home inspection costs between $250 and $550, depending on factors like the home's location, condition, and age. If the home has a septic system, you should also pay for a septic inspection to make sure it does not have any problems that wouldn't be covered in a typical home inspection.

America's Real Estate Experts, is your local near me Michigan City, Indiana and surrounding areas, Home Buying Real Estate Brokerage. Steps to buy a house. In the underwriting period, your lender will verify that you can afford your mortgage. They may ask for proof of income, pay stubs, letters of explanation for income that doesn't come from wages, and other loan statements. Delays could lead to a postponed closing, so start collecting this information early so that you are ready to submit documents when your lender asks.  Appraisals determine the value of the property. If you're using a mortgage to buy your new house in Indiana, your lender will order an appraisal to make sure the home is worth the money that it is loaning you. 

America's Real Estate Experts, is your local near me Michigan City, Indiana and surrounding areas, Home Buying Real Estate Brokerage. Steps to buy a house. The first step in the home appraisal process is scheduling the appraisal with a licensed and certified appraiser. Typically, this is arranged by the lender or the appraisal management company. The appraiser will coordinate with the homeowner or the real estate agent to set a convenient date and time for the appraisal. Once the appraisal is scheduled, the appraiser begins the research and analysis phase. This involves gathering relevant data about the property, such as its size, features, and any recent improvements. The appraiser also researches comparable properties in the area to assess their sales prices and market trends. The appraiser then conducts a physical inspection of the property, both inside and out. After the physical inspection, the appraiser performs a comparative market analysis (CMA). This involves comparing the subject property to recently sold properties in the area that are similar in size, features, and location. The appraiser considers the sales prices and other relevant factors to determine a fair market value for the property being appraised. The final step in the appraisal process is the creation of the appraisal report. This report includes a detailed analysis of the property, the comparable sales used in the valuation, and the appraiser's final determination of the property's value. The report is typically submitted to the lender or client who requested the appraisal. The home appraisal process is a comprehensive evaluation that involves research, analysis, physical inspection, and the creation of a detailed report. It provides valuable information to lenders, buyers, and sellers to make informed decisions regarding the value of a property. Understanding this process can help navigate the home buying or selling journey with confidence. Think of us when choosing a real estate agent. 

America's Real Estate Experts, is your local near me Michigan City, Indiana and surrounding areas, Home Buying Real Estate Brokerage. Steps to buy a house. Before you close on your new home, you and your real estate agent will do a final walk-through of the property to ensure that it's still in the expected condition. You'll want to check to make sure: The appliances are in working order, any agreed-upon repairs were handled by the seller, and there was no damage to the home when the seller moved out. On the closing date, you’ll meet at the title company to review lots of important paperwork. You'll need to read and sign several documents, including: The final loan application, deed transfer, and various disclosures. Before signing anything, ask your agent or closing attorney about any questions you have to make sure you fully understand each document. Let us help with all your buying and selling houses needs.