Communities
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Home Buying Process
Research Early
As soon as you can, start reading Web sites, newspapers, and magazines that have real estate listings. Make a note of particular homes you are interested in and see how long they stay on the market. Also, note any changes in asking prices. This will give you a sense of the housing trends in specific areas.
What Can You Afford
Lenders generally recommend that people look for homes that cost no more than three to five times their annual household income if the home buyers plan to make a 20% down payment and have a moderate amount of other debt.
Get Prequalified
A pre-approved mortgage will lock in your interest rate for a set time period while you house hunt. It's essential in today's seller's market. It guarantees the seller you are ready and willing to purchase a home. It assures the seller you have the funds and ability to close. This lessens the risk to the seller and makes your offer much stronger.
Steve Cohn's patience, perseverance, and professionalism is why we were able to purchase our home. Working with limited resources in a highly competitive market Steve never gave up on us or our search. Also being relatively new to the area we greatly depended on his knowledge and experience to find the perfect neighborhood/home fit. Once we were in escrow he maneuvered us through every step keeping us informed and prepared for every possible obstacle. We appreciate Steve everyday enjoying our home in the perfect neighborhood for us
Who You Work With Matters
The Right Agent
Real estate agents are important partners when you’re buying or selling a home. Real estate agents can provide you with helpful information on homes and neighborhoods that isn’t easily accessible to the public. Their knowledge of the home buying process, negotiating skills, and familiarity with the area you want to live in can be extremely valuable. And best of all, it doesn’t cost you anything to use an agent – they’re compensated from the commission paid by the seller of the house.
Shop for Your Home
Start touring homes in your price range. It might be helpful to take notes on all the homes you visit. You will see a lot of houses! It can be hard to remember everything about them, so you might want to take pictures or video to help you remember each home.
Get a Home Inspection
Typically, purchase offers are contingent on a home inspection of the property to check for signs of structural damage or things that may need fixing. Your real estate agent usually will help you arrange to have this inspection conducted within a few days of your offer being accepted by the seller. This contingency protects you by giving you a chance to renegotiate your offer or withdraw it without penalty if the inspection reveals significant material damage.
Both you and the seller will receive a report on the home inspector’s findings. You can then decide if you want to ask the seller to fix anything on the property before closing the sale. Before the sale closes, you will have a walk-through of the house, which gives you the chance to confirm that any agreed-upon repairs have been made.
Steve made the very painful process of short selling our house easy. He took care of all the details in a timely manner and was very supportive. He was sensitive to our distress and answered all of our questions which put our minds at ease. In addition to taking care of all the details of the short sale he helped us find new living arrangements. If you're looking for a knowledgeable, efficient and caring realtor than Steve Cohn is your guy!
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Success Is In The Closing
Have the Home Appraised
Lenders will arrange for an appraiser to provide an independent estimate of the value of the house you are buying. The appraiser is a member of a third party company and is not directly associated with the lender. The appraisal will let all the parties involved know that you are paying a fair price for the home.
Coordinate the Paperwork
As you can imagine, there is a lot of paperwork involved in buying a house. Your lender will arrange for a title company to handle all of the paperwork and make sure that the seller is the rightful owner of the house you are buying.
Close the Sale
At closing, you will sign all of the paperwork required to complete the purchase, including your loan documents. It typically takes a couple of days for your loan to be funded after the paperwork is returned to the lender. Once the check is delivered to the seller, you are ready to move into your new home!
Steve has helped multiple members of my family find their ideal homes. I have never seen a man work harder his clients. If you call him, email him, or ask him anything he responds immediately. From start to finish and beyond, he will do everything he can to help. There is simply no better realtor in the county. He will treat you like family.
DESTINATIONS
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Interactive City Search
Explore some of the most sought after destinations for real estate in Sonoma, and Marin County. Our large network provides unrivaled access to distinctive properties in the finest locations, offering you a wide selection of architecture and lifestyle choices. Whether it's a Vineyard Estate, Home on the Golf Course, Water Front, Horse Property, Downtown Living, or Country property. The choice is yours. Let us lead you on a journey to discover your next dream property.
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Every home has a story, we would love to tell yours.
Every home has a story, and they are as vast and varied as the world is wide. But they all start with inspiration, and inspiration starts with our surroundings. That's what home is. Family. Friends. A sense of place. An amazing view. It is all part of what makes a space a home because your home is where you truly live. As a leading real estate group, we understand that your best life begins with a home that inspires you.
Your Homes Story
To effectively sell your home we must begin with telling your homes story.
Lic# 01211151
+1 707.775.4738
We see home as more than a house, so we approach real estate as more than a transaction. It’s how we build relationships - by making people feel happy and confident about the biggest investment of their lives. This is more than our profession; it’s our passion because our family never forgets how much home truly means to you and your family. So when you’re ready for your next moment or your next adventure, call Steve Cohn and The RE/MAX Elite Partners. We’ll help you get there.
Reviews
"Steve Cohn is an excellent realtor. When my wife and I were buying our first home he was eager to help. He is knows the process of buying a home as well as the market very well. Steve and his team were responsive and helped us out the whole way through. I will surely use him in the future and have recommended him to a number of people already."
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