Contract on a home: your next steps

You’ve been searching for the perfect house. At last you’ve found it, and you make an offer. The seller accepts it, and now you have a contract. What happens next?

1. Contact your lender
Once you sign a contract on a house, things can move rather quickly. If you have been pre-approved for a mortgage, you need to make sure all the necessary paperwork has been completed in order for you to obtain final approval. Contact your lender and provide whatever additional information is required.

2. Arrange a home inspection
It’s always wise to have a professional home inspector go through the home to see if there are any problems that need to be addressed. If you have stipulated in your contract that your offer is conditional upon inspection, then you will able to negotiate with the seller regarding any necessary repairs. The seller will then have to make appropriate arrangements to correct those issues.

3. Remember small details
There are numerous small details to take care of once you sign a contract on a home. You must change your address and change over your utility billing for the new home. You need to make moving arrangements. Don’t forget to contact your insurance company to set up homeowner’s insurance. Also, be sure that all of your funds are in order for closing.

4. Take a final walk-through
Prior to closing, make sure to take a final walk-through of the home. This is an important last step. It ensures that any repair issues that were included in your contract, and raised during the home inspection, are taken care of, and also that the house is ready for you to move in.

Remember, there’s always a flurry of activity once you have a contract on a home. Keep a list to help make sure that you have done all that you need to do. This should help your home-buying process go smoothly.