Wondering What to Expect When Buying a Home?


Timing is crucial when buying your Florida home. Getting it wrong could mean paying on a Mortgage when you still owe rent or living out of a hotel if your closing runs longer than your lease. Here's a timeline for your homebuying journey to help make it a hassle-free process.

How Long Does it Take to Buy a House?

The Timeline for Buying a Home can be tricky to predict. It typically takes anywhere from four weeks at the low end to six months (or more) to shop for and close on a house. But it can be quicker if you make a strong offer right away in a fast-moving market or slower if you have a hard time finding just the right place or keep getting outbid.​ The shopping step is one of the biggest house-buying timeline variables. According to Zillow research, about half of buyers searched for less than three months, but 13% shopped for seven months to a year.

Step-by-Step Timeline for Buyer's:

1. Give Me a Call, Text or Email! I will help make your life Easy!

I am a Local Agent with Amerivest Realty representing you that will cost you nothing. You actually come out ahead with me as you will receive Up to a $5000 Rebate at Closing when you use me as your Agent when Buying your Home. You will also have my full attention, from shopping for a new Home to Closing. I have many FREE Tools to Help you through a Hassle-free Homebuying Process.

2. Get Pre-approved for a Mortgage

It only takes one to five business days to get mortgage pre-approval, but spend the time to research different lenders and mortgage types so you get the best possible deal. You can get pre-qualified in about 30 minutes, but you really want to be Pre-qualified which takes more time. Being Pre-approved is much better when you are dealing with a property with multiple offers. To make the research easier, I have a list of Local Lenders who Specialize in different types of Mortgage Loans. You can find a mortgage lender but know that I can sometimes offer good advice on which mortgage companies will be easier to work with based on your situation.

3. Make a List of Needs and Start Browsing

Take the time to think about the things you Absolutely Need in your new home (for instance, a certain number of bedrooms or a short commute) as well as the things you want but could do without (say, a hot tub). Make a list of both and discuss it with me. These priorities will help you as you start browsing online for homes that fit the bill. Be prepared to adjust your list as you take stock of what’s out there and How Much House you can Afford.

Again, if you’re in a rush, this is something that can and sometimes does happen at the same time as Steps 1 and 2, but there’s a benefit to hearing my advice and taking the time to think things through.

4. Start Home Viewings

Now it’s time for me to start setting up viewings of homes you’re interested in. The timing of this part of the process is especially variable. In some markets, you could visit several homes and make an offer that same day that gets accepted. In other places, you could wait months for the right home to come on the market, or you could get outbid time and time again before an offer is finally accepted. 

5. Make an Offer and Negotiate

When you find a home that seems like “the one,” I will help you put together an offer. Then it’s time to wait for the seller to accept, decline, or negotiate with you. This can be speedy, but in a seller’s market, you may be held in suspense a bit longer as you await a response. The seller may accept or reject your offer, or they may send you a counteroffer, kicking off a round of negotiations. This is where I earn My Keep!

6. Get Your Loan Approved

If you’re already pre-approved for your mortgage, now is the time for you and your agent to gather the necessary documents for your lender to complete the underwriting process and approve the loan. This is known as the closing process. So how long does it take to close on a house? The average is 35 days in our area, but the next two steps can and should be completed while you’re waiting for your closing day.

7. Wait for the Appraisal

Your lender will hire a professional to conduct an appraisal to determine your home’s value. The appraisal is usually scheduled within 10 Days, and then it takes about three days for the report to come in. You don’t have to do a thing except wait for the result—and hope it’s higher than the price you negotiated. If not, you may have to increase your down payment or renegotiate with the seller.

8. Get a Home Inspection

Not to be confused with the appraisal, you’ll also hire a home inspector to determine whether there are any unpleasant surprises hiding in your new home. You typically have 10 days to complete the inspection. It takes 24 hours to get the inspection report, and then it could take a week or more to renegotiate if any unexpected problems turn up.

9. Close on Your New Home

The hard stuff is over, and you’ve got one last, long appointment to close on your house. After handing over your down payment and closing costs and signing a truly alarming amount of paperwork, you’re officially a homeowner.

With an understanding of the timing for home buying, you can start thinking about what to look for when buying a house. Or, if you’re ready to start looking, Search for Homes Here.

Sign Up for Up to $5000 Rebate at Closing HERE! Rebate Amount Depends on Price of Home at Closing.

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