Buying a home
The R.E.A.L. System: How We Help You Buy a Home
How The Realize Team helps you buy a home in Summit County, Ohio: Ready, Educated, Aligned, and Locked. Four steps from pre-approval to closing.
Overview: Real Is in Our Name for a Reason
Buying a home is exciting, and it moves fast once you find the right one. The buyers who do best are the ones who knew what was coming before it happened. That's what our R.E.A.L. system is for: Ready, Educated, Aligned, and Locked.
We're The Realize Team at Key Realty, three sisters based in Akron and Cuyahoga Falls, and every deal gets all of us. Abby and Jessica work with you from the first conversation, with two schedules to get you into homes fast. Once you're under contract, our sister Lauren takes over the paperwork, the deadlines, and every closing detail.
We walk you through it A to Z. We make the suggestions. You make the decisions.
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Ready: Know Your Buying Power
Get pre-approved first. Pre-approval is the first step, because it tells you your buying power before you fall for a house. We'll connect you with area lenders and loan officers our past clients have had great success with. Your lender will look at things like your debt-to-income ratio, your credit score, and your savings and assets, including any equity in a home you own now.
Then decide what you actually want to spend. Here's the part most people miss: being approved up to a certain amount doesn't mean you have to spend that much. Within your buying power, we talk through what you're comfortable spending every month.
Your buyer representation agreement. Before we start touring homes, you'll sign an exclusive buyer representation agreement. It puts in writing that we represent you in your purchase. We walk through every part of it with you before you sign, so you know exactly what it says.
The R.E.A.L. System: How We Help You Buy a Home
Educated: Know What Happens Next
"I don't know what I don't know" is the most normal feeling in the world when you're buying. We fix that before it matters.
Your buyer consultation. We meet at our office, at a local coffee shop or restaurant, or virtually, and walk through every step of what to expect and when to expect it.
Your buyer guide and video seminar. Every buyer gets our buyer guide and our virtual buyer video seminar, covering everything from earnest money to contingencies to inspections. Watch it whenever it suits you, then bring us your questions. It's a head start, not a substitute for access to us.
The local market. We talk through how competitive the market is in the areas you like, at your price point, so your plan fits the place.
Aligned: A Search Built Around Your Goals
We start with your goals. Which areas you're looking in, what you want in a home, how many bedrooms and bathrooms would be ideal, attached or detached garage, and what type of home fits: split level, colonial, ranch, or condo.
You're the first to know. We set up a search on your criteria, so you're notified as soon as a matching home comes on the market, and we're the first ones in to see it. Between Abby's and Jessica's schedules, you're not waiting on one person's calendar.
Realistic timing. Sometimes a buyer walks into the first house and knows it's the one. We don't expect that. It usually takes at least a couple of months of looking to find the right home, and that's normal.
Researching areas is your call. If you're new to the area, we give you tools to research each one yourself, like school report cards, parks, shopping, and highway access, and we can check the distance or drive time to anything important to you. See relocating to Summit County.
Locked: From Offer to Keys
Your offer. We write it based on what comparable homes have actually sold for and talk through negotiations before anything is signed. In a competitive area, we go over ways to make your offer stronger, like an escalation clause or an appraisal gap, and which inspections to do.
Earnest money. Once your offer is accepted, you put down earnest money to show the seller you're serious. In our area it's usually about 1% of the purchase price, and it's usually held by the title company, though sometimes a brokerage holds it.
Your inspection contingency. Most of our purchase agreements include a 10-day inspection contingency. During that window you have your inspections done: a general home inspection, plus others when they apply, like radon, lead-based paint for homes built before 1978, mold, a well, or a septic system. Based on what's found, you can accept the home as it is, ask the seller to address specific issues, or, if the problems are serious enough, walk away within the time your contract allows.
Appraisal. Your lender's appraiser confirms the home's value. If it comes in low, we talk through your options.
Closing. Once you're under contract, it's usually a 30 to 45 day close. In our area, closings are handled by title companies. The title company checks ownership, holds the funds, and prepares your closing documents. Lauren keeps every deadline on track, you do a final walkthrough, transfer the utilities, sign, and get your keys.
Ready to start? Book your buyer consultation or give us a call at (234) 200-6477. You can also read more about buying a home in Summit County or our first-time buyer guide.
This page describes our general process. It isn't legal, tax, or lending advice.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does R.E.A.L. stand for?
Ready, Educated, Aligned, and Locked. Ready is pre-approval and knowing what you want to spend. Educated is knowing every step before you're in it. Aligned is a search built on your goals. Locked is everything from your offer to your keys.
What do I sign before you show me homes?
An exclusive buyer representation agreement. It puts in writing that we represent you in your purchase, and we walk through every part of it with you before you sign.
How much earnest money will I need?
In our area it's usually about 1% of the purchase price, and it's usually held by the title company. We go over the exact amount for your offer before you write it.
How long do I have for inspections?
Most of our purchase agreements include a 10-day inspection contingency, which is your window to have inspections done and decide how to proceed.
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Ready to make your move with The Realize Team?