BUYING A HOME
The agents at Lalla Real Estate will work with you to explain the real estate buying process. We know the New Orleans Metropolitan and extended market areas and our agents are here to help make sure the buying process is enjoyable and hassle free. Whether you are buying or leasing, we can guide you in all the right directions from start to finish.
CONTACT US
We will help you through the entire process of buying a home, beginning with the financing and continuing through the closing – and beyond.
GET PRE-APPROVED FOR A LOAN
Contact a loan officer at a bank or a mortgage company to begin the pre-approval process. Being pre-approved will help expedite the buying process. Getting this done early on will let you know what price range to look in as well as help you to understand available financing options. We can recommend loan officers or mortgage brokers to work with if needed.
ONCE YOU’RE PRE-APPROVED
We’ll discuss neighborhoods, pricing, school districts, preferred style of house, desired amenities and features, etc… Our goal is to understand your needs, answer your questions, and tailor the search to you.
Your Lalla Real Estate agent will research the market to find and recommend homes that best match your criteria. You decide which homes you would like to see and we set up appointments to view the properties.
VIEWING PROPERTIES
While you are viewing the properties and are narrowing down the selections, it’s time to start considering such questions as: does the size and layout work for your family or future family, is the house in your preferred location and neighborhood, would it be right for you and your family’s lifestyle, can you imagine yourself and/or your family living there? Asking yourself these and other questions will help you to narrow down your selection. In some instances, buyers even modify their criteria based on the homes available. Our agent will continue to refine the search as your refine your criteria, eventually locating the home that is the best fit available.
MAKE AN OFFER
Our agents are familiar with the market and will guide you by providing comparable properties of homes in the specific area. Our agent will guide you in selecting a starting offer and will continue negotiate firmly to ensure you get the best value. When you’re ready, we will draw up a purchase agreement which includes the price offered, closing date, proposed financing, and other specifics. At this point, your agent assists you in through the offer/counteroffer process, which should eventually result in a price and contract specifics which are acceptable to the buyer as well as the seller.
ONCE YOUR OFFER IS ACCEPTED
The property is now considered ‘under contract’; however, we’re not done yet. There will be a time frame established in your offer in which you, the buyer, will have the opportunity to have the home inspected, order an appraisal, finalize the loan approval and close on the house. Our agents can recommend inspection companies, mortgage professionals and title companies to help get you through these deadlines and on your way to owning the property.
BEING A NEW HOMEOWNER
Once the closing is completed, you will receive the keys to your home. We can assist you in transitioning or setting up utilities, locating a moving company and even answering miscellaneous questions to help you get settled. It is time now to relax, celebrate, and enjoy your new home.