Search

Leave a Message

Thank you for your message. We will be in touch with you shortly.

Explore Our Properties
welcome to our

Buyer's Guide

A Step-by-Step First Time Buyer's Guide

Buying a home is one of the most exciting milestones of your life. To prepare yourself for this moment, you need to know what to expect during the process. This step-by-step first time buyer’s guide created by our team will help reduce the stress of buying a home and help you enjoy the journey as much as possible.

Default Image

Step 1: Research

Do you already know where you want to buy? If you want a condo, townhome, or single-family home? Which features do you like and dislike? What’s available on the market now? If you answered no to any of these questions, now is the time to start researching. In addition to looking for homes that interest you, also take note of any changes in asking prices. This could give you valuable insight into housing trends in specific neighborhoods and help you when the time comes to make an offer.

Default Image

Step 2: Decide on Your Budget

Notice we said to decide on your budget—not determine how much the mortgage company will give you. In many cases, a mortgage company will pre-approve you for more than you’re comfortable spending, which is why you need to determine the monthly payment you feel comfortable with before talking to a lender. This likely includes doing a full household budget and taking into consideration what changes other than a mortgage payment will occur once you move into your new home. If you’ve lived in an apartment or with roommates, you may overlook new expenses like garbage, water, or HOA fees that could easily blow your budget.

Default Image

Step 3: Get Prequalified

Just because you think you can afford a certain payment every month doesn’t mean the mortgage company will agree. Just as they may approve you for too large of an amount, they may also approve you for a lesser amount or deny you a mortgage altogether. Lack of time at a job, insufficient credit, past bankruptcies, or other financial issues can cause major problems when trying to secure a mortgage. Before you get your heart set on a home, talk to a mortgage professional to find out what amount you can qualify for. This will also be an advantage when you make an offer on a home, as some sellers won’t entertain offers from those who aren’t already prequalified for a loan.

Default Image

Step 4: Choose Real Estate Experts

Can you shop for, look at, and ultimately make an offer on a home without real estate experts? Technically yes, but why would you when it costs you nothing for agents like us to take much of the stress off your shoulders? Not only will we help identify properties you might be interested in, arrange showings, and ultimately handle the offer process, but we also have knowledge of the market that you don’t possess. Finding the perfect home can be a daunting task, this is where our expertise and wealth of knowledge come into play. Let us show you around some homes that meet your dream home criteria so you can find the one that's right for you.

Passion & Expertise

Our goal is to provide you with the most personalized service possible, meticulously designed to help you navigate the process of buying your dream home. We are dedicated to understanding your unique needs and preferences, ensuring that every step of the journey is tailored to achieve your ultimate home-buying aspirations.

Default Image

Step 5: Find the Right Home

This should be the most enjoyable step of the entire process (other than moving in!). We will arrange showings of homes you’re interested in that are within your price range. Take notes about what you like and don’t like, and make sure to pay attention to details. Turn light switches on and off, open and close doors, and run the faucets in various rooms. Don’t limit your inspection to the home itself. Make sure to take time to explore the neighborhood and keep an eye on traffic at certain times of the day, the parking situation, and how close it is to necessities like schools and grocery stores.

Default Image

Step 6: Make an Offer

Once you have selected the perfect home, work with your agent to craft a fair offer based on the value of comparable homes on the market. Depending on what the home is listed at and whether the current environment is a buyer’s or seller’s market, your offer may be below, at, or even above the asking price. We will be able to help you negotiate if you receive a counteroffer and reach an agreement. At this point, the house will go into escrow.

Default Image

Step 7: Have the Home Inspected

In most cases, your offer will be contingent on having the home inspected to ensure there is no major structural damage or large repairs needed. We can help you arrange this, and you can schedule it within days of making an offer. If there are no major issues, the process goes to step eight. If there is, you can renegotiate your offer based on what needs to be fixed, or you can withdraw it.

Default Image

Step 8: Select Your Loan

Now is the time to go back to the mortgage lender who pre-approved or pre-qualified you and choose your mortgage. You will be presented with various options based on your unique financial situation, including fixed-rate, variable-rate, 15-year, 30-year, or special programs such as VA loans or FHA loans. Work with your mortgage lender to select the option you feel the most comfortable with.

Default Image

Step 9: Get a Home Appraisal

Your lender will have your new home appraised so they have their independent value of it. The appraisal is to ensure that all parties involved are paying a fair price for the house.

Default Image

Step 10: Finish Paperwork

No one looks forward to all the paperwork involved in buying a home, but it’s a necessary part of the process. Fortunately, everything will be arranged by your lender and title company and, when you’re finished, you’ll know you are the legal owner of your new home.

Congratulations!

After signing the final paperwork to complete the purchase, you are now the owner of a new house. It may take a few days for your loan to be funded once the paperwork has been returned to the lender, but once that check is delivered to the seller, you’ll be all set to move into the home of your dreams. 

What Our Client Says

Testimonials

"When we decided to sell our lakefront home in Lake San Marcos, we wanted to be represented by a realtor who knew the area and understood our HOAs. Janice Davidson was recommended, and we are so glad we chose her to sell our home. Janice put together a plan for new flooring and staging prior to us returning to our primary home out of state. We left and Janice coordinated the flooring installation, staging, professional photography to baking of cookies for the open house. Her knowledge of the HOA rules and bylaws provided prospective buyers with answers. She worked tirelessly and got the home sold with multiple offers all while we were out of state. She coordinated with the movers to put our furniture in storage prior to purchasing another home in the lake. Janice had known about a home that met our specifications 9 months before hitting the market. She was diligent in reaching out to the trustees prior to the home going on the market. When it hit the market, it had multiple offers, so we flew in, viewed the home, and put a strategy into place to have our offer accepted over others. We had planned a trip out of the country during the whole process and Janice stepped in to handle everything while we vacationed. It is prudent to have a great Buyers representation in place. We highly recommend Janice to anyone looking to sell or purchase a home."
"When we decided to sell our lakefront home in Lake San Marcos, we wanted to be represented by a realtor who knew the area and understood our HOAs. Janice Davidson was recommended, and we are so glad we chose her to sell our home. Janice put together a plan for new flooring and staging prior to us returning to our primary home out of state. We left and Janice coordinated the flooring installation, staging, professional photography to baking of cookies for the open house. Her knowledge of the HOA rules and bylaws provided prospective buyers with answers. She worked tirelessly and got the home sold with multiple offers all while we were out of state. She coordinated with the movers to put our furniture in storage prior to purchasing another home in the lake. Janice had known about a home that met our specifications 9 months before hitting the market. She was diligent in reaching out to the trustees prior to the home going on the market. When it hit the market, it had multiple offers, so we flew in, viewed the home, and put a strategy into place to have our offer accepted over others. We had planned a trip out of the country during the whole process and Janice stepped in to handle everything while we vacationed. It is prudent to have a great Buyers representation in place. We highly recommend Janice to anyone looking to sell or purchase a home."
Nancy S. & Kevin B.
"We met Janice while looking for houses in Lake San Marcos. Janice is very knowledgeable about the area and has many local contacts. We worked with her for 3+ years, and she was very patient and helpful. Finally, the right home came up and we got it thanks to Janice and her well-known professionalism in the area. We were not quite ready to move into the home, so Janice helped rent it out. We had a bit of work to do to rent it and used Janice’s many local contacts who did great work at fair prices. Janice still helps us when issues come up. I highly recommend Janice Davidson as an agent. She is so knowledgeable, professional, kindhearted, and a good person and friend."
"We met Janice while looking for houses in Lake San Marcos. Janice is very knowledgeable about the area and has many local contacts. We worked with her for 3+ years, and she was very patient and helpful. Finally, the right home came up and we got it thanks to Janice and her well-known professionalism in the area. We were not quite ready to move into the home, so Janice helped rent it out. We had a bit of work to do to rent it and used Janice’s many local contacts who did great work at fair prices. Janice still helps us when issues come up. I highly recommend Janice Davidson as an agent. She is so knowledgeable, professional, kindhearted, and a good person and friend."
Tracey & Jim W.
"I wish to tell you about our experience with Janice Davidson of the Davidson Group Realty. Our family first met her while we were house hunting at Lake San Marcos. We could see that she knew this neighborhood and area. Janice took us on a tour of the various communities in and around Lake San Marcos and North County. We appreciated her patience and willingness to help us find the home that matched our needs. This is something she accomplished. The hardest part was yet to come. We were living out of state, so Janice had to negotiate with the sellers to get the items we wanted left in the home and to have work done on repairs. Janice negotiated concessions to pay for those items. Janice suggested using my VA loan privilege to help save us money. She supervised the work and handled any problems that arose with our lender. Because we could not move in right away, Janice secured a short-term tenant which helped us with monthly expenses. When we arrived at the San Diego airport, we were met at the airport to welcome us to California. The next day we took possession of the home. Janice had the home cleaned, prepared with fresh linens and towels, and enough furniture for us to use until our furnishings arrived several days later. No one could have been more considerate and generous to us. Janice has the highest integrity and commitment to her work."
"I wish to tell you about our experience with Janice Davidson of the Davidson Group Realty. Our family first met her while we were house hunting at Lake San Marcos. We could see that she knew this neighborhood and area. Janice took us on a tour of the various communities in and around Lake San Marcos and North County. We appreciated her patience and willingness to help us find the home that matched our needs. This is something she accomplished. The hardest part was yet to come. We were living out of state, so Janice had to negotiate with the sellers to get the items we wanted left in the home and to have work done on repairs. Janice negotiated concessions to pay for those items. Janice suggested using my VA loan privilege to help save us money. She supervised the work and handled any problems that arose with our lender. Because we could not move in right away, Janice secured a short-term tenant which helped us with monthly expenses. When we arrived at the San Diego airport, we were met at the airport to welcome us to California. The next day we took possession of the home. Janice had the home cleaned, prepared with fresh linens and towels, and enough furniture for us to use until our furnishings arrived several days later. No one could have been more considerate and generous to us. Janice has the highest integrity and commitment to her work."
Jon & Martha S.
"Janice Davidson is an excellent real estate agent who’s easy to work with and gets the job done quickly. She listened to what we wanted in the new house and the first house she showed us met every one of our requests. We bought that home and just love it! Her group uses an experienced team of professionals with whom they work regularly, to help with all aspects of the transaction. We feel we received the best service all around.  Janice also listed and sold our former home. We were surprised to learn the average time of sale from the listing date for The Davidson Group is 7 days. We had multiple offers and were thrilled to sell our house over the asking price. We can’t recommend Janice highly enough; she knows the market and communicates well with all parties. Before the showing of our house, she staged our furniture, hung new art, and brought plants over to spruce up our patio, just a few things she did to make our house shine.  We feel anyone would be lucky to have her as their agent."
"Janice Davidson is an excellent real estate agent who’s easy to work with and gets the job done quickly. She listened to what we wanted in the new house and the first house she showed us met every one of our requests. We bought that home and just love it! Her group uses an experienced team of professionals with whom they work regularly, to help with all aspects of the transaction. We feel we received the best service all around.  Janice also listed and sold our former home. We were surprised to learn the average time of sale from the listing date for The Davidson Group is 7 days. We had multiple offers and were thrilled to sell our house over the asking price. We can’t recommend Janice highly enough; she knows the market and communicates well with all parties. Before the showing of our house, she staged our furniture, hung new art, and brought plants over to spruce up our patio, just a few things she did to make our house shine.  We feel anyone would be lucky to have her as their agent."
Judy & Darrel H.
"You might say I’m an experienced mover-less than the Army but more than your regular home buyer. I can attest without hesitation, therefore, that this team is by far the most experienced, helpful, and kind people with whom I’ve ever worked. They don’t just do the paperwork—they work! Period. They repainted parts of the house, moved our two office desks to our new location to make the house for sale look more spacious, and even hired a landscaping team to clean up our copious plants and lay new wood chip mulch. They were always there to offer any needed help and kept us all on an even keel with humor and understanding. I highly recommend them. Our home sold in less than 5 days on the market."
"You might say I’m an experienced mover-less than the Army but more than your regular home buyer. I can attest without hesitation, therefore, that this team is by far the most experienced, helpful, and kind people with whom I’ve ever worked. They don’t just do the paperwork—they work! Period. They repainted parts of the house, moved our two office desks to our new location to make the house for sale look more spacious, and even hired a landscaping team to clean up our copious plants and lay new wood chip mulch. They were always there to offer any needed help and kept us all on an even keel with humor and understanding. I highly recommend them. Our home sold in less than 5 days on the market."
Chute & Gary H.
"We can’t speak highly enough in our praise for all The Davidsons have done in helping us move from our large San Pable home to the Chateau a welcome experience. They lined up personnel to install new flooring, fireplace, plumbing, etc. plus they helped in the purchase of needed items to make the Chateau our home. Janice’s experience in Staging our home on San Pablo for sale was a masterpiece. We had them rearrange our large furniture to create a more spacious space. We are appreciative of all they accomplished in all aspects of both purchase and sale. Thank you."
"We can’t speak highly enough in our praise for all The Davidsons have done in helping us move from our large San Pable home to the Chateau a welcome experience. They lined up personnel to install new flooring, fireplace, plumbing, etc. plus they helped in the purchase of needed items to make the Chateau our home. Janice’s experience in Staging our home on San Pablo for sale was a masterpiece. We had them rearrange our large furniture to create a more spacious space. We are appreciative of all they accomplished in all aspects of both purchase and sale. Thank you."
Bruce & Marlen B.
"We had the pleasure of working with Janice and the Davidson Group Realty in the preparation and sale of my father’s condo. We lived out of state and were concerned about the potential difficulties of selling the property without being able to physically be in the area during the sales process. Janice scheduled a phone consultation to discuss the options of repairs and what needed to be done to get fair market value. We were left with a very comfortable feeling that we would be treated as friends and that Janice would do whatever it took to prepare and sell the home with no hassles or problems for us to deal with. After a few weeks of hard work, the condo went on the market, and in less than one day we had multiple offers which ended in a sales price much higher than we ever imagined. Janice kept our best interests in mind, and we would recommend her and her team to everyone we know who needs an honest and diligent realtor."
"We had the pleasure of working with Janice and the Davidson Group Realty in the preparation and sale of my father’s condo. We lived out of state and were concerned about the potential difficulties of selling the property without being able to physically be in the area during the sales process. Janice scheduled a phone consultation to discuss the options of repairs and what needed to be done to get fair market value. We were left with a very comfortable feeling that we would be treated as friends and that Janice would do whatever it took to prepare and sell the home with no hassles or problems for us to deal with. After a few weeks of hard work, the condo went on the market, and in less than one day we had multiple offers which ended in a sales price much higher than we ever imagined. Janice kept our best interests in mind, and we would recommend her and her team to everyone we know who needs an honest and diligent realtor."
Jason & Niki S.

Follow Us On Instagram