First off, you need to have an idea of the type of house you're looking for.  This means the style, number of bedrooms and baths, the size of the home, school district, and other amenities. 

Now, knowing what you want, you have to find out what you can afford.  If you have a lender, contact them and ask them to qualify you for a loan.  If you don't have a lender, there are a large number of mortgage companies that may be able to help you.  To meet our in-office lender, find facts about the loan process, and use our online calculators click here.  Our lender can pre-qualify you for a loan NOW over the phone by asking you questions related to your income, bills, and savings.  Note: this is not loan approval.  You do not receive loan approval until you give your lender the documentation to back up the claims you made on your loan qualification.

After pre-qualification, contact a real estate agent or contact a real estate agency and have them set you up with an agent.  If you would like to find out information about RE/MAX Midwest Group's professional REALTORS, see our Agents page.   After choosing an agent, you and your agent will sign a Buyers Agency Contract.  In this contract, you agree to use only your agent (not multiple agents) in your search for a home for a specific period of time.  In return, your agent agrees to work on your behalf to meet your needs.

With your agent, discuss what type, price, and area you want for your future home.  They will use their knowledge of the real estate business coupled with their access to every piece of property for sale in Missouri to help you find your dream home.  REALTORS have access to every home in Missouri through the Multiple Listing System (MLS), a program that lists the properties, prices, areas, and accompanying pertinent information.  The MLS lists 1,000s of more properties than the newspaper and has more up-to-date properties than a search engine like Realtor.com where many listings have expired or sold.  After narrowing your search down through the MLS, your REALTOR will set appointments to show you these homes so you can get a first hand view of them for yourself.  

Once your future home has been found, your agent will prepare a Sales Contract for the house.  This Contract will list the price you are offering and any terms and conditions that may apply.  The Contract will then be negotiated back and forth between you and your agent and the seller and his agent until both you and the seller reach an agreement on terms.  

Once the contract is accepted your agent will guide you through the myraid inspections which may include inspections of structural, safety, environmental, and other hazards.  These inspections are to verify there are no major problems with the home. Problems that are of a defective nature will be negotiated with the seller to make the repairs based on the inspection report. Inspections must be provided by a qualified professional inspection company. Your agent can recommend qualified, reliable inspectors that are ASHI approved.  To visit the American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI) home page, click here.

Now is the time for your lender to proceed to loan commitment.  Your agent will coordinate this process with your assistance. It's important to provide the requested information to your lender without delay. You'll need to make sure the lender is local, reliable and responsive to your needs. Loan commitment is hugely important as you are responsible to obtain the loan or funding according to the time frame laid out in the sales contract. If it is not obtained within the allotted time frame, YOU are responsible for the financing of the home, not the lender. Keep in mind, the sales contract is a legal document and has consequences for lack of performance. If you have questions regarding the contract legalities, we recommend you seek the advice of a real estate attorney.