What should you expect after you make an offer on a residence? There are several steps that will take place between the time you submit an offer on a house to the date you finalize a purchase agreement, including:
1. Acceptance or Rejection of Your Initial Proposal
A home seller will have a short period of time to accept or reject your initial offer.
If a home seller accepts your proposal, you'll be able to move forward in the homebuying process. Conversely, if he or she rejects your offer, you may be forced to restart your home search.
On the other hand, a home seller may counter your offer as well. In this scenario, you likely will be given a set amount of time to accept or reject the counter-proposal. Or, you may be able to further negotiate with a home seller in the hopes of finding common ground.
The time between when you submit an offer on a home and receive a home seller's response to your proposal can be stressful. Fortunately, working with an experienced real estate agent ensures that you'll be able to stay up to date. This real estate professional will even help you put together a competitive offer on any home, ensuring that you can boost your chances of getting an instant "Yes" from a home seller.
2. Completion of a Home Inspection
Although a home seller has accepted your initial proposal, you'll still want to conduct a thorough home inspection to identify any major property issues.
For example, if a house has a faulty roof or defective hot water heater, an expert home inspector will be able to uncover such problems immediately. That way, you can learn about issues that may impact the long-term value of a home as part of an inspection.
If you find out about major issues with a home during a property inspection, you can rescind your initial offer and walk away from a house. Comparatively, if you still want to buy a home in spite of problems that were discover during an inspection, you can ask the home seller to complete home repairs or upgrades. You also may want to consider asking for a price reduction if major home repairs or upgrades are needed.
Ultimately, a home inspection will help you make an informed homebuying decision. After a home inspection, the ball is in your court, and you can choose to move forward with the purchase of a home, revise your initial offer or remove your proposal altogether.
3. Relocation to Your New Address
The final step of the home selling process involves closing on a home and relocating to your new address. At this point, all you'll need to do is pack up your belongings from your current location and move them to your new home.
Purchasing a home may seem impossible at times, but the homebuying process often gets easier as it progresses. Plus, homebuyers who collaborate with an experienced real estate agent can receive plenty of support as they navigate each stage of the homebuying journey.
