When you first reach out to me, we will have a conversation about your home goals. We’ll cover the basics like bedrooms/bathrooms/sqft/location, but it’s also very important to me to know why you’re moving and what your long-term home goals are.

I’ll help you with finding a lender if needed (this is an important step that you can begin many months in advance!) Once you have your Preapproval, we can start house shopping!

Many buyers love to search online for homes themselves – it’s a bit addicting. You can use sites like Zillow, Redfin, Trulia, etc. I will also set up a home search for you on my back-end platform, where I can get more details about the home you are looking for.

When you want to tour a home, call or text me. My wonderful assistant, Bobbi Lujan, or I will get you an appointment to see the house(s) the same day or the next day! Buyers typically tour 5-25 houses before they lock down The One.

Locking down a house is really where I shine for you. I’ve sold hundreds of homes and toured thousands. I share my knowledge of Washington real estate freely to allow you to make the best decision for yourself.

When it comes to negotiating the offer, we’ll discuss how to get you the best deal, setting up your offer in a way that will facilitate a smooth stress-free closing.

Here’s a few of the important and standard parts of an offer in WA State:

Price (we determine together, based off comps, your preapproval, if you are competing against any other buyers, etc)

Home Inspection Contingency – You’ll have 10 days to do a home inspection where you’ll hire a non-biased licensed home inspector to go through the home from roof to crawlspace and give you a report on all findings, good and bad. You will have an opportunity to negotiate repairs at this time.

Financing Contingency – You’ll have between 30-45 days to get your loan final approved and close on the house. There is usually some hiccup during this process and I have a lot of experience in working through any issues that come up so you can still close on your home!

Earnest Money Deposit – this is typically 1% of the sales price and due within 2 days after an accepted offer. (Ex: $4000 on a $400K home). This money is your “skin in the game”. You get this money back if you don’t approve of home inspection, or if your financing fails, if you have not waived any contingencies. If you back out toward the end for no covered reasons, you would forfeit the earnest money deposit.

As we move through your home purchase transaction, I will be there to guide you on deadlines, when your earnest money is at risk, and your options at different points in the sale.

There are 0% down home loans, but typically it is 3.5% – 5% down. Plus add an additional $6,000 (estimate) for closing costs. Sometimes you can get a seller to pay the closing costs for you. For a credit score, you’ll need to be at around 600 or more.

The first step is to apply with a local lender. They will give you an amount you are preapproved for. Many buyers start this process many months in advance, as sometimes there are things you need to do to prepare, such as pay off debt, save more money, etc.

Talking with a lender about your specific situation will give you a game plan. Even if you don’t think you can afford a home yet, talk with a lender anyway!

Note: Be cautious of online lenders. Call me if you need a lender referral, or contact one of the lenders listed under Resources.

Buyers usually home shop for a couple of weeks to several months before locking down a house. Once you find The One, it’ll take 30-45 days to close and get your keys

This is my specialty! Buying and selling a home at the same time can be challenging and a logistical nightmare, but every situation is different. The simplest way is to write an offer, contingent on your home selling. Depending on the market conditions, this is not always feasible.

Call me for different strategies, such as using a HELOC, bridge loan, turning your home into a rental, selling your home first and moving into a short-term rental, or negotiating a rent-back with the buyer of your home

Meshing well with your real estate agent is critical. After all, they will be helping you make some big life decisions, you need someone who knows what they are doing, and someone you can trust. Here is just a glimpse of what it is like to work with Jennifer Amsler Real Estate:

• Efficient communication
• Quick scheduling of home tours
• Top-notch negotiation skills
• Respectable agent in the Washington real estate community
• Real-time knowledge about the local market & community
• Connections with contractors, lenders, & resources
• Cares about YOUR goals and situation, not my commission
• No sugarcoating, but solution-oriented
• Honest information and opinions so you can make an educated decision