Buying Your First Home

 

Are you thinking about buying your first home?

 

Here are some things to consider.

 

How's your credit?

Do You have money saved for a down payment?

Do you know which Mortgage Program is right for you?

 

Start Cleaning Your Credit.

 

Your credit score will determine whether you qualify for a mortgage and affect the interest rate lenders will offer. Take these steps to strengthen your credit score to buy a house:

 

• Get free copies of your credit reports from each of the three credit bureaus — Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion — and dispute any errors that could hurt your score.

• Pay all your bills on time, and keep credit card balances as low as possible.

• Keep current credit cards open. Closing a card will increase the portion of available credit you use, which can lower your score.

• Track your credit score.

 

Start Saving For Your Down Payment

 

Here are the main costs to consider when saving for a home:

 

• Down payment: Your down payment requirement will depend on the type of mortgage you choose and the lender. Some conventional loans aimed at first-time home buyers with excellent credit allow as little as 3% down. But even a small down payment can be challenging to save. For example, a 3% down payment on a $300,000 home is $9,000. Use a down payment calculator to decide on a goal, and then set up automatic transfers from checking to savings to get started.

• Closing costs: These are the fees and expenses you pay to finalize your mortgage, and they typically range from 2% to 5% of the loan amount. You can ask the seller to pay a portion of your closing costs, and you can save on some expenses, such as home inspections, by shopping around.

• Move-in expenses: You'll need some cash after the home purchase. Set some money aside for immediate home repairs, upgrades, and furnishings.

 

I always recommend clients research home improvement loans. When you buy a fixer-upper you will need money for home improvements. Even, when I bought my first home almost twenty years ago I still needed money to fix up the home to meet my own taste and make it comfortable for my new growing family. The home improvement increased the home value when I sold it. 

 

I usually don't recommend credit cards because I don't believe in accumulating debt or impulse shopping on things that depreciate. However, a Lowes or Home Depot credit card will come in handy for any unexpected home expense. Plus, it is also a great way to build and manage your credit as opposed to using those store credit cards where you're buying based on emotional impulse or to satisfy a need based on instant gratification such as shoes, clothes, makeup, or in my case hair and hair products (I love wigs). I hate to admit all of these purchases depreciate and do not add value to your financial wellness plan. 

 

Remember, a home is an asset that appreciates over time. Buying a home is the best investment of the hard-earned money that you will ever make. I share this with you because many of my wellness clients are women who think they are bad with money. They are not.

 

Friend, you are not bad with money, you are just spending your money on anxiety-triggered situations. We are surrounded by experiences that cause anxiety, stress, insecurities, and feelings of not being good enough. You purchase out of the need to fit in and become someone else because you have no idea what you value. You spend because someone else tells you to be it the media, advertisement, social media influencers, celebrities who endorse products, your friends or loved ones, or your own insecurities to feel pretty, cover up flaws, or mask skin issues like dark spots, rosacea, or acne.

 

I know this to be true because I'm also a skincare and wellness consultant for Avon. I consult clients all the time who cover up subconscious insecurities. Many of my clients attend both Savannah College of Art and Design and The Art Institute of Atlanta being that I have daughters that attend both schools and I'm there all the time for college events. I see firsthand how many of my college clients spend their money on skincare and makeup to attend events in downtown Atlanta. For example, I have many clients who attend comedy shows of comedians they don't even like or attend concerts of bands just because their friends are all going, and then the next week they are sitting in my office for help to not relapse emotional stress eating due to financial pressure of not having money for books or art supplies for a class that starts the following week. 

 

I am no financial counselor.  But my job sometimes requires me to get into the financial "ocean" to save my clients from drowning themselves and relapsing. What most folks don't understand is that financial anxiety is real.  I wear a lot of hats being a serial entrepreneur. My job as a licensed nutritionist, folk herbalist, skincare and wellness consultant for Avon, hoodoo partitioner, loan signing agent, and businesswoman requires me to take a holistic approach to my client's life. We look at the whole life during recovery sessions, each area plays a part in overall wellness. 

 

I take all my roles seriously, especially when it involves my clients having issues with money that could cause emotional eating relapse

 or inability to achieve their dream of home ownership. I believe it is my duty to step in and help them become aware of their unhealthy spending habits. As a mental health and emotional wellness advocate I am a firm believer that financial health is your emotional health.  So yes, I help my clients reinvent their money stories and release money blocks if the situation calls to do so.

 

So, friend, I recommend you use your money wisely, and responsibly, and on creating assets not more debt and financial stress that may cause the development of addictions. Let me tell you. Counseling ain't cheap. This act of love is saving you money on hiring me in the future for emotional wellness and recovery counseling. You're welcome! :) 

​

 

 

Research first-time home buyer assistance programs and which lender/mortgage option is right for you

 

A variety of mortgages are available with varying down payment and eligibility requirements. Here are the main categories:

 

• Conventional mortgages are not guaranteed by the government. Some conventional loans targeted at first-time buyers require as little as 3% down.

• FHA loans are insured by the Federal Housing Administration and allow down payments as low as 3.5%.

• USDA loans are guaranteed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. They are for rural home buyers and usually require no down payment.

• VA loans are guaranteed by the Department of Veterans Affairs. They are for current and veteran military service members and usually require no down payment.

 

You also have options when it comes to the mortgage term. Most home buyers opt for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage, which is paid off in 30 years and has an interest rate that stays the same. A 15-year loan typically has a lower interest rate than a 30-year mortgage, but the monthly payments are larger.

 

Oh! Don't forget to save for home inspection this is something we weren't aware of when we bought our home.

 

A home inspection is a thorough assessment of the structure and mechanical systems. Professional inspectors look for potential problems, so you can make an informed decision about buying the property. Here are some things to keep in mind:

 

• Standard inspections don’t test for things like radon, mold, or pests. Understand what's included in the inspection and what other inspections you might need.

• Make sure the inspector can get to every part of the house, such as the roof and any crawl spaces.

• Traditionally the buyer attends the inspection. By following the inspector around you can get a better understanding of the home and ask questions on the spot. If you can't attend the inspection, review the inspector's report carefully and ask about anything that's unclear.

 

When my husband and I purchased our home in Conyers, Georgia we used Inspect-All Pest Services. The guy was kind and professional. He arrives on time. He was very knowledgeable about his job and we had no issues. He was very detailed about the inspection and our home passed the inspection needed for us to close on time. Note: This is not an affiliate link it's just an honest review from a paying customer. If you seek to use this company do so at your own judgment. However, you can tell them that Dr. White recommended you due to her personal review of their excellent service. I'm sure they will appreciate it. 

​

Inspect-All Pest Services is located at:

576 Sigman Road, N.E., Ste. 700

Conyers, Georgia 30013

inspectallservices.com

770.483.2420

​

Get Pre-Approved for your home mortgage.

 

A professional mortgage consultant will guide you through every step of the loan process with knowledge and care, and focus with you one-on-one to meet all of your mortgage needs.

​

Read more about The Mortgage Process

Read more about Calculating Your Mortgage Payment

Read more about Understanding Mortgage Rates

​

​

​

​

​

​

 

 

 

 

Connect with a Realtor

 

At the first meeting, your trusted advisor will help you put together a comprehensive strategy to guide you through the home-buying process. This meeting will help outline your home criteria, including preferred neighborhoods, pricing parameters, and your timeline. This strategic approach will serve as your guiding compass throughout your home search. 

 

 

The Loan Closing Process

 

 

 

If you live in the Conyers, Georgia area and need a Certified Loan Signing Agent to witness your Mortgage Closing please give me a call to set up an appointment. I will come to you.

​

What To Expect at a Closing Appointment?

​

The Loan Signing Agent will arrive and introduce themself. 

​

Next, she will identify you as the signer by your current driver's license. 

​

She will check to ensure you are of sound mind, and aware of the documents that you are about to sign. If you are of sound mind and willing to sign the loan process will begin. 

​

You will be presented with the most important documents first. This includes

​

Settlement Statements (Hud-1)

Note

Deed of Trust

Notice of Right to Cancel

Signature Affidavit and AkA Statement

Customer Identification Verification

​

During this process, you will be directed to sign each form and then she will notarize the documents and check for missing signatures, initials, dates, and notary seal imprints.

​

After the closing, you will be provided copies of the documents. If you wish to have email copies you will have to receive the docs from your lender. Notaries can not email documents nor can we give legal advice. We are here to give you a brief overview of what you are signing and then proceed to obtain your signature and notarize the documents. 

​

Once the signing process is complete the notary will drop off the package to the title company or via Fed-x or UPS. 

​

I hope this gives you clarity on what to expect in buying your first home and the loan closing process. If you need a loan signing agent please contact me today. 

​

 

 

SERVICES / PRICE LIST

Basic Loan Closing

​

 

Basic Loan Closing $85

• Trip Fee $25

• Package Print Fee $22

• Replacement Package Print Fee (Printed copy for the client) $20

​

Total Closing Fee $150

​

 

 

 

 

Other Loan Closing 

​

 

 

Reverse Mortgage Closing $120

• Trip Fee $25

• Package Print Fee $22

• Replacement Package Print Fee (Printed copy for the client) $20

​

Total Closing Fee $187

​

​

Refinance/Purchases $100-$120

• Trip Fee $25

• Package Print Fee $22

• Replacement Package Print Fee (Printed copy for the client) $20

 

Total Closing Fee $167-$187

​

​

Home Equity $100

• Trip Fee $25

• Package Print Fee $22

• Replacement Package Print Fee (Printed copy for the client) $20

 

Total Closing Fee $167

 

​

HELOC $75

• Trip Fee $25

• Package Print Fee $22

• Replacement Package Print Fee (Printed copy for the client) $20

 

Total Closing Fee $142

​

​

Signature Witnessing $25 Per Witness

• Trip Fee $25

​

​​

​

GNW

General Notary Work

$45

 

 

Acknowledgments $2

Plus travel/fuel is $40

Plus processing fee of $3 

 

Affidavit $2

Plus travel/fuel is $40

Plus processing fee of $3 

 

Jurat $2

Plus travel/fuel is $40

Plus processing fee of $3 

 

Vehicle Title Transfer $2

Plus travel/fuel is $40

Plus processing fee of $3