TRUST THE PROCESS

The 12 steps to buying a home in Sioux Falls

Joel Embiid made "trust the process" famous in Philadelphia. Buying a home works the same way. There are over 250 steps to transfer ownership of a home. You don't need to know all of them. That's my job. Here are the 12 that matter.

1. Find the right agent and lender. Agents and lenders will argue about who you should talk to first. I'm an agent, so I'm biased. If you don't have a lender yet, I'll connect you with one. You'll also sign a buyer agreement and agency disclosures that spell out who I represent, what services you get, and how my commission is paid.

2. Prepare your finances. Gathering your paperwork before you talk to a lender speeds everything up.

3. Get pre-approved. Unless you're paying cash, you need a lender's pre-approval. Pre-qualification shows roughly what you can afford. Pre-approval means most of the underwriting is done, so it carries much more weight with sellers.

4. Start your home search. I'll set you up with search tools that pull straight from the MLS, where listings are entered first. Some third-party sites can show homes that are already under contract.

5. Write your offer. An offer covers the price, closing date, what stays with the home, and any inspection, appraisal, or financing contingencies. Your earnest money is usually due the next business day. It shows the seller you're serious.

6. Negotiate. Sellers often counter, sometimes more than once. Good negotiating means both sides feel they won, and you know you got a good deal.

7. Inspection and appraisal. I recommend an inspection 99% of the time. The inspection period is usually about a week, so we line up inspectors fast. If you're financing, the lender orders an appraisal to confirm the home's value.

8. Underwriting. Think of it as homework. Your lender may ask for a few more documents before closing.

9. Underwriting approved. The last step on the loan side is homeowners insurance, which your lender requires.

10. Title, escrow, and loan documents. This part is very very boring, but very very important. Make sure you understand your interest rate and payment. I didn't know what a variable rate was when I bought my first house. Lord willing, it worked out, but it could have gone wrong fast.

11. Sign and fund. You sign at the title company, and the loan funds.

12. Close. You get the keys to your new kingdom.