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We know how to help you buy successfully in this market. We have both local market knowledge and deal making experience. Our hard working agents are familiar with all of the neighborhoods and new developments. If you’re buying an existing home or a new build, we strongly recommend you have representation. That’s right, even if your building a new home. Home builders are looking out for their own best interest, not yours. You need someone in your corner.

When it comes to buying your home it’s all about trust. You want a Realtor that will listen to your needs and work hard on your behalf. That’s who we are. Cincy Flat Fee, LLC strives to be fair and honest in all aspects of our business. It’s the most important part of our business.

Be Prepared

Oh sure, everybody wants to jump right into touring homes. Before you even step into a foyer, you should identify your list of “must haves” and “wants.” This list should item have: Price, housing type, neighborhood, and school district… just to name a few.

If you’re planning to buy a home with a partner, create your list with them. You need to be on the same page when buying a house. If you aren’t, you’ll risk being frustrated later down the road. You will also be less able to give agents or lenders the information they need to help you.

Select Your Agent

Your relationship with your real estate agent is the foundation of the home-buying process. (Your agent = your new best friend.) He or she is the first expert you’ll meet on your journey and the one you’ll rely on most. That’s why it’s important to interview agents and find the agent who’s right for your specific needs.

Meet with a Lender

This is another big step, as you’ll be working with your lender closely throughout the home-buying process. Ideally, you should shop a few lenders. There are a ton of lending options and you’ll have to pick the one that is right for you. Your lender will provide you with a pre-approval letter. This is important and will be submitted with any offers you make to prove to the Seller that you are a qualified Buyer capable of purchasing the home.

Start Your Search

Once you know what you’re looking for, the next step is to start looking at home listings. This is a team effort between you and your agent. You can find listings right here on this site or any other site you’re comfortable using. Your agent can set up an automatic search that will email you immediately when properties become available or if one drops their asking price!

Touring Homes

Finally the FUN part. Now that you have both an agent who knows your housing preferences and budget, and a lender to finance a house within that budget, it’s time to get serious about viewing homes. Your agent will set up private viewings of the homes you wish to tour. This gives you the unique opportunity to evaluate properties in a way you can’t online. During these tours we will provide you with relevant property features, history, and disclosures.

Make an Offer

Once you find the home you want to buy, you’ll work with your agent to craft an offer that not only specifies the price you’re willing to pay but also the proposed settlement date and contingencies — other conditions that must be agreed upon by both parties, such as giving you the ability to do home inspections and request repairs.

Negotiate

Some home sellers simply accept the best offer they receive, but many sellers make a counteroffer. If that happens, it’s up to you to decide whether you want to negotiate with the seller or walk away. This is an area where your agent can provide real value by using their expert negotiating skills to guide you to the best deal. Ultimately it is always your offer and therefore your decision but our expert agents have experience negotiating home sales and excel at providing you the knowledge you need to make your best decision.

Home Inspections

Most sales contracts include a home inspection contingency. That means you’ll hire a licensed home inspector to inspect the condition of the home and produce a detailed report. Then you decide to accept the current condition, ask the seller to have repairs made, or back out of the contract. This mitigates your risk of buying a house that has major issues that would be expensive to correct, like mold, a cracked foundation, or a bad roof.

Home Appraisal

When you offer to buy a home, your lender will need to have the home appraised to make sure the property value is enough to cover the mortgage. If the home appraises at the agreed-upon purchase price, you’re one step closer to your purchase — but a low appraisal can add a wrinkle that may be hard to overcome.

Close the Deal

The last stage of the home-buying process is settlement, or closing. This is when you sign the final ownership and insurance paperwork and make this whole thing official. We will have been in contact with the title company and will review all closing disclosures to make sure there are no inconsistencies betweem the contract terms and the final settlement statement.