buyer guide

Step 1: Research

Do you already know where you want to buy? If you want a condo, townhome, or single-family home? Which features do you like and dislike? What’s available on the market now? If you answered no to any of these questions, now is the time to start researching. In addition to looking for homes that interest you, also take note of any changes in asking prices. This could give you valuable insight into housing trends in specific neighborhoods and help you when the time comes to make an offer.

Step 2: Decide on Your Budget

Notice I said to decide on your budget—not determine how much the mortgage company will give you. In many cases, a mortgage company will pre-approve you for more than you’re comfortable spending, which is why you need to determine the monthly payment you feel comfortable with before talking to a lender. This likely includes doing a full household budget and taking into consideration what changes other than a mortgage payment will occur once you move into your new home. If you’ve lived in an apartment or with roommates, you may overlook new expenses like garbage, water, or HOA fees that could easily blow your budget.

Step 3: Get Prequalified

Just because you think you can afford a certain payment every month doesn’t mean the mortgage company will agree. Just as they may approve you for too large of an amount, they may also approve you for a lesser amount or deny you a mortgage altogether. Lack of time at a job, insufficient credit, past bankruptcies, or other financial issues can cause major problems when trying to secure a mortgage. Before you get your heart set on a home, talk to a mortgage professional to find out what amount you can qualify for. This will also be an advantage when you make an offer on a home, as some sellers won’t entertain offers from those who aren’t already prequalified for a loan.

Step 4: Choose a Real Estate Agent

Can you shop for, look at, and ultimately make an offer on a home without a real estate agent? Technically yes, but why would you when it costs you nothing for an agent like me to take much of the stress off your shoulders? Not only will I help identify properties you might be interested in, arrange showings, and ultimately handle the offer process, but I also have a knowledge of the market that you don’t possess. Finding the perfect home can be a daunting task, this is where my expertise and wealth of knowledge come into play. Let me show you around some homes that meet your dream home criteria so you can find the one that's right for you.

Step 5: Find the Right Home

This should be the most enjoyable step of the entire process (other than moving in!). I will arrange showings of homes you’re interested in that are within your price range. Take notes about what you like and don’t like, and make sure to pay attention to details. Turn light switches on and off, open and close doors, and run the faucets in various rooms. Don’t limit your inspection to the home itself. Make sure to take time to explore the neighborhood and keep an eye on traffic at certain times of the day, the parking situation, and how close it is to necessities like schools and grocery stores.

Step 6: Make an Offer

Once you have selected the perfect home, work with your agent to craft a fair offer based on the value of comparable homes on the market. Depending on what the home is listed at and whether the current environment is a buyer’s or seller’s market, your offer may be below, at, or even above the asking price. I will be able to help you negotiate if you receive a counteroffer and reach an agreement. At this point, the house will go into escrow.

Step 7: Have the Home Inspected

In most cases, your offer will be contingent on having the home inspected to ensure there is no major structural damage or large repairs needed. I can help you arrange this, and you can schedule it within days of making an offer. If there are no major issues, the process goes to step eight. If there is, you can renegotiate your offer based on what needs to be fixed, or you can withdraw it.

Step 8: Select Your Loan

Now is the time to go back to the mortgage lender who pre-approved or pre-qualified you and choose your mortgage. You will be presented with various options based on your unique financial situation, including fixed-rate, variable-rate, 15-year, 30-year, or special programs such as VA loans or FHA loans. Work with your mortgage lender to select the option you feel the most comfortable with.

Step 9: Get a Home Appraisal

Your lender will have your new home appraised so they have their independent value of it. The appraisal is to ensure that all parties involved are paying a fair price for the house.

Step 10: Finish Paperwork

No one looks forward to all the paperwork involved in buying a home, but it’s a necessary part of the process. Fortunately, everything will be arranged by your lender and title company and, when you’re finished, you’ll know you are the legal owner of your new home.

My Testimonials

See why my clients love working with me.

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Veronica H

Ken is awesome! Very patient and responsive. We were first time home buyers and Ken's experience was a great help. We highly recommend him.

Gillian W.

Ken went above and beyond helping us sell our condo quickly during COVID! He always made himself available to answer questions, stop by and even help us with some personal property. He helped us navigate multiple offers, and Ke...

Scott M

Ken was a great realtor for us. We were purchasing our home from out of state, so we relied on Ken for a lot more than we expected to. In all cases Ken was happy to help us out and responded promptly to everything that we ask...

Jennifer S.

Ken has been amazing throughout the process of our home purchase. He is very knowledgeable and skilled in his profession. He is always readily available and kept us regularly updated regarding changes, progress, and the next st...

Michael H

I have worked with Ken on two transactions, a purchase and a sale. Both transactions were flawless. He is always there every step of the way, advising and answering questions. He is very personable, I think he honestly cares fo...

Frank M

As virtual buyers, Ken successfully navigated us through the entire process of purchasing our home. He exceeded our expectations with his knowledge of every phase of the business: West LA real estate market; bidding process; l...

Joshua C

Ken helped us find a house in the midst of a pandemic! I didn't think it was possible but it finally happened. Ken is super knowledgeable, punctual and has a great work ethic. I highly recommend him to anyone out there who is s...

Amisha

Ken represented us (buyers) 200%. Throughout the transaction he was 200% loyal to us getting everything we need to make an informed decision as well as to close the home. He stayed on top of all the requirements (termite, retro...

Lindsey L.

Ken was amazing in helping us buy our first home together. He was responsive and very patient in answering all of our questions. He is super knowledgeable and really knows the ins and outs of real estate! He always got back to ...

Albert V.

Ken went above and beyond to help me purchase the exact home we wanted. We were able to get our very first offer accepted. Thank you for your help Ken.

Maria R.

Ken is amazing at what he does. He provided us with the best service and got us our new home. He is always available for questions and he made the process seem easy.

Josh M.

Ken helped me find my place. He was patient and he really knows the ins and outs of the real estate business so I would highly recommend him.

Tommy T.

Ken was my agent for my first-time home purchase in 2019 and was extremely helpful throughout the entire the process. Ken took the time to note all of my home-buying needs and constraints, and he respected those throughout my ...

Raj A.

My family and I are grateful and thankful. Awesome, Professional! Overall, I give Ken a perfect 10 when it comes to service and guiding me through the whole home buying experience! From the start, Ken was very personable and pr...

Ron N.

I was referred to Ken from a lender that I was working with a pre-qualification when I was trying to buy my first home. He quickly got in touch with me and got me a qualified list of properties within my search criteria, area, ...

Mike H.

Ken is an incredibly professional and ethical Realtor. He made the process straight forward and was always fast to respond to my questions or concerns. This was my first purchase and Ken always took the time to explain things i...

Charm M.

Whenever we had a question or concern he was quick to respond to our calls. He helped us from start to finish on the purchase of our home. He was always extremely helpful in all phases of the process. Whenever we had a question...

Curtis R.

As a first-time homebuyer, I was unsure what to expect about the process. I was very fortunate to have Ken as my realtor. He was very responsive, patient, and helped lessen the stress I was feeling during the process. He took t...

Nicholas L.

Ken was our realtor for our first home. He’s a great guy and really helped us understand the LA real estate market. He’s also super knowledgeable about the financing market. We spent a long time viewing more than a handful of h...

David D.

Ken is very knowledgeable, professional and trustworthy. I highly recommend Ken Sisson!

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Buyer's Guide

A Step-by-Step First Time Buyer's Guide