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Buyer's Guide

A Step-by-Step First Time Buyer's Guide

Buying a home is one of the most exciting milestones of your life. To prepare yourself for this moment, you need to know what to expect during the process. This step-by-step first time buyer’s guide created by your agent will help reduce the stress of buying a home and help you enjoy the journey as much as possible.

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Step 1: Research

Do you already know where you want to buy? If you want a condo, townhome, or single-family home? Which features do you like and dislike? What’s available on the market now? If you answered no to any of these questions, now is the time to start researching. In addition to looking for homes that interest you, also take note of any changes in asking prices. This could give you valuable insight into housing trends in specific neighborhoods and help you when the time comes to make an offer.

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Step 2: Decide on Your Budget

Notice I said to decide on your budget—not determine how much the mortgage company will give you. In many cases, a mortgage company will pre-approve you for more than you’re comfortable spending, which is why you need to determine the monthly payment you feel comfortable with before talking to a lender. This likely includes doing a full household budget and taking into consideration what changes other than a mortgage payment will occur once you move into your new home. If you’ve lived in an apartment or with roommates, you may overlook new expenses like garbage, water, or HOA fees that could easily blow your budget.

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Step 3: Get Prequalified

Just because you think you can afford a certain payment every month doesn’t mean the mortgage company will agree. Just as they may approve you for too large of an amount, they may also approve you for a lesser amount or deny you a mortgage altogether. Lack of time at a job, insufficient credit, past bankruptcies, or other financial issues can cause major problems when trying to secure a mortgage. Before you get your heart set on a home, talk to a mortgage professional to find out what amount you can qualify for. This will also be an advantage when you make an offer on a home, as some sellers won’t entertain offers from those who aren’t already prequalified for a loan.

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Step 4: Choose a Real Estate Agent

Can you shop for, look at, and ultimately make an offer on a home without a real estate agent? Technically, yes, but why would you when it costs you nothing for an agent like me to take much of the stress off your shoulders? Not only will I help identify properties you might be interested in, arrange showings, and ultimately handle the offer process, but I also have a knowledge of the market that you don’t possess. Finding the perfect home can be a daunting task, and this is where my expertise and wealth of knowledge come into play. Let me show you around some homes that meet your dream home criteria so you can find the one that's right for you.

Passion & Expertise

My goal is to provide you with the most personalized service possible, meticulously designed to help you navigate the process of buying your dream home. I am dedicated to understanding your unique needs and preferences, ensuring that every step of the journey is tailored to achieve your ultimate home-buying aspirations.

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Step 5: Find the Right Home

This should be the most enjoyable step of the entire process (other than moving in!). I will arrange showings of homes you’re interested in that are within your price range. Take notes about what you like and don’t like, and make sure to pay attention to details. Turn light switches on and off, open and close doors, and run the faucets in various rooms. Don’t limit your inspection to the home itself. Make sure to take time to explore the neighborhood and keep an eye on traffic at certain times of the day, the parking situation, and how close it is to necessities like schools and grocery stores.

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Step 6: Make an Offer

Once you have selected the perfect home, work with your agent to craft a fair offer based on the value of comparable homes on the market. Depending on what the home is listed at and whether the current environment is a buyer’s or seller’s market, your offer may be below, at, or even above the asking price. I will be able to help you negotiate if you receive a counteroffer and reach an agreement. At this point, the house will go into escrow.

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Step 7: Have the Home Inspected

In most cases, your offer will be contingent on having the home inspected to ensure there is no major structural damage or large repairs needed. I can help you arrange this, and you can schedule it within days of making an offer. If there are no major issues, the process goes to step eight. If there is, you can renegotiate your offer based on what needs to be fixed, or you can withdraw it.

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Step 8: Select Your Loan

Now is the time to go back to the mortgage lender who pre-approved or pre-qualified you and choose your mortgage. You will be presented with various options based on your unique financial situation, including fixed-rate, variable-rate, 15-year, 30-year, or special programs such as VA loans or FHA loans. Work with your mortgage lender to select the option you feel the most comfortable with.

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Step 9: Get a Home Appraisal

Your lender will have your new home appraised so they have their independent value of it. The appraisal is to ensure that all parties involved are paying a fair price for the house.

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Step 10: Finish Paperwork

No one looks forward to all the paperwork involved in buying a home, but it’s a necessary part of the process. Fortunately, everything will be arranged by your lender and title company and, when you’re finished, you’ll know you are the legal owner of your new home.

Congratulations!

After signing the final paperwork to complete the purchase, you are now the owner of a new house. It may take a few days for your loan to be funded once the paperwork has been returned to the lender, but once that check is delivered to the seller, you’ll be all set to move into the home of your dreams. 

See Why My Clients Love Me

Testimonials

"Tori is hands down The Best Agent in the Mountain View Area. Her local area expertise is second to none. She is really on top of everything and handles everything herself like a super mom taking care of a kid. I made the purchase towards the end of the year when inventory was really low and competitor really high, her expert market analysis, super responsive and creative handling of the complex process really helped me win the house. Due to her long-time focus and superb networking skills in the local area, she has great connections with other agents and lenders, which also greatly assisted my purchase process. I also know she's a superstar on the selling side and accidentally found out she sold my friend's house in Mountain View almost 20 years ago. So I highly recommend Tori for anyone's buying and selling needs in Mountain View and the surrounding area."
"Tori is hands down The Best Agent in the Mountain View Area. Her local area expertise is second to none. She is really on top of everything and handles everything herself like a super mom taking care of a kid. I made the purchase towards the end of the year when inventory was really low and competitor really high, her expert market analysis, super responsive and creative handling of the complex process really helped me win the house. Due to her long-time focus and superb networking skills in the local area, she has great connections with other agents and lenders, which also greatly assisted my purchase process. I also know she's a superstar on the selling side and accidentally found out she sold my friend's house in Mountain View almost 20 years ago. So I highly recommend Tori for anyone's buying and selling needs in Mountain View and the surrounding area."
Fang S.
"Tori was recommended to me by a colleague and I was impressed by how she set me up with a great lender (PNC mortgage); got me pre-authorized to buy and started sending me lists of available homes each day. She drove me to see a house way up in Marin County then met me to see the house I ended up buying in Aptos. She has been incredibly responsive, answering tel calls and texts and e-mails almost immediately. She kept the whole process moving forward, following up with all parties and I was kept in the loop on everything via e-mail. I will recommend Tori Atwell without any reservation to anyone looking for a go-getter Real Estate agent."
"Tori was recommended to me by a colleague and I was impressed by how she set me up with a great lender (PNC mortgage); got me pre-authorized to buy and started sending me lists of available homes each day. She drove me to see a house way up in Marin County then met me to see the house I ended up buying in Aptos. She has been incredibly responsive, answering tel calls and texts and e-mails almost immediately. She kept the whole process moving forward, following up with all parties and I was kept in the loop on everything via e-mail. I will recommend Tori Atwell without any reservation to anyone looking for a go-getter Real Estate agent."
Ricky
"I've worked with Tori a number of times since 2001. She has always had my best interest in mind and went to the mat of me. When I bought my first home, she convinced the seller that while I wasn't the highest bidder on the property, I was the best buyer. When I sold a home, Tori had a bank of resources at call from contracting to landscaping to stagging that brought top dollar for my home. She knows the market and knows property value and potential. It was only with her guidance, I was able to purchase my current home in an extremely competitive market. Tori has demonstrated time and time again her keen negotiation skills and how far her relationships with other agents can go. I highly recommend Tori!"
"I've worked with Tori a number of times since 2001. She has always had my best interest in mind and went to the mat of me. When I bought my first home, she convinced the seller that while I wasn't the highest bidder on the property, I was the best buyer. When I sold a home, Tori had a bank of resources at call from contracting to landscaping to stagging that brought top dollar for my home. She knows the market and knows property value and potential. It was only with her guidance, I was able to purchase my current home in an extremely competitive market. Tori has demonstrated time and time again her keen negotiation skills and how far her relationships with other agents can go. I highly recommend Tori!"
Carol W.
"I have known Tori for 20 years. We bought our parents' home from Tori 20 years ago and after their passing, I asked her to prepare and list the house for sale. She knows the neighborhood inside out and was superb in coordinating the various contractors to get the house ready in a short period of time. The final result was a beautiful home ready for the next owner to move in and enjoy. The house was listed at the right price level for the neighborhood and sold in 1 week with multiple offers."
"I have known Tori for 20 years. We bought our parents' home from Tori 20 years ago and after their passing, I asked her to prepare and list the house for sale. She knows the neighborhood inside out and was superb in coordinating the various contractors to get the house ready in a short period of time. The final result was a beautiful home ready for the next owner to move in and enjoy. The house was listed at the right price level for the neighborhood and sold in 1 week with multiple offers."
Seller
"Tori is a great agent, she knows real estate, including market trends and valuations, and has a great sense of the pulse of the market. She's extremely responsive and thorough. Her knowledge and insights have been extremely valuable in the 4 buy and sell transactions she's helped me with over the years. I highly recommend Tori."
"Tori is a great agent, she knows real estate, including market trends and valuations, and has a great sense of the pulse of the market. She's extremely responsive and thorough. Her knowledge and insights have been extremely valuable in the 4 buy and sell transactions she's helped me with over the years. I highly recommend Tori."
Cubby
"Tori was a perfect business partner from the idea of selling our house to the close of escrow. Tori provided real-time communication and handled action items swiftly. Tori is a good project manager, a good negotiator, a good marketeer, and a good sounding board. The capper was a 9-day close which was no small feat."
"Tori was a perfect business partner from the idea of selling our house to the close of escrow. Tori provided real-time communication and handled action items swiftly. Tori is a good project manager, a good negotiator, a good marketeer, and a good sounding board. The capper was a 9-day close which was no small feat."
Seller
"Tori has worked with us on three houses. Two of them involved challenging players. She handled them like an ace. She really knows the market, and she goes way above and beyond to make sure the process works out smoothly."
"Tori has worked with us on three houses. Two of them involved challenging players. She handled them like an ace. She really knows the market, and she goes way above and beyond to make sure the process works out smoothly."
Anne U.
"We had the good luck to have Tori help us twice as a buyer's agent and once as a seller. She made these stressful transactions much easier, she took care of all of the byzantine requirements involved in buying and selling a house and negotiated hard to our advantage. If we were to sell our current home, she would be the first person we would talk to."
"We had the good luck to have Tori help us twice as a buyer's agent and once as a seller. She made these stressful transactions much easier, she took care of all of the byzantine requirements involved in buying and selling a house and negotiated hard to our advantage. If we were to sell our current home, she would be the first person we would talk to."
Andrew D.
"We worked with Tori twice, in 2007 to buy our house in Mountain View and in 2023 to sell it. For the 2023 sale, we interviewed three realtors and chose Tori because we believed she would be most capable of showing what was unique and wonderful about our house. We were selling an adorable older home, and we believed that she more so than the other two realtors would be able to showcase the uniqueness of our house to attract the right buyers. And she did just that: She embraced and promoted our home's unique features. She has a handyman and a painter that she works with regularly and who gives her clients priority, so we were able to get our house ready for the market in a very short time, also an important thing at a time when contractors are hard to get and booked far out. I believe we sold our home significantly better because we worked with Tori than if we'd worked with the other realtors whom we considered."
"We worked with Tori twice, in 2007 to buy our house in Mountain View and in 2023 to sell it. For the 2023 sale, we interviewed three realtors and chose Tori because we believed she would be most capable of showing what was unique and wonderful about our house. We were selling an adorable older home, and we believed that she more so than the other two realtors would be able to showcase the uniqueness of our house to attract the right buyers. And she did just that: She embraced and promoted our home's unique features. She has a handyman and a painter that she works with regularly and who gives her clients priority, so we were able to get our house ready for the market in a very short time, also an important thing at a time when contractors are hard to get and booked far out. I believe we sold our home significantly better because we worked with Tori than if we'd worked with the other realtors whom we considered."
Ania M.
"Tori did an exemplary job of planning, organizing, and negotiating a highly successful sale of a rental house in Mountain View for my daughter. We have known her for many years but this was our first professional contact."
"Tori did an exemplary job of planning, organizing, and negotiating a highly successful sale of a rental house in Mountain View for my daughter. We have known her for many years but this was our first professional contact."
Frank R.
"Very honest hands-on Partner in the Transaction, provides clear guidance and feedback. Has an outstanding Network of class support functions Genuine Person."
"Very honest hands-on Partner in the Transaction, provides clear guidance and feedback. Has an outstanding Network of class support functions Genuine Person."
Marcus P.
"Our family has worked with Tori in previous years to complete 4 purchases of a primary home and rentals. Just recently, Tori helped us prep and sell our home and purchase a new home in our dream location. Tori earns every last bit of her 5-star ratings. I have never met anyone quite like her. She is on top of every detail, knows exactly what items are worth improving on one's home to get top dollar, has a wonderful team of contractors to get the work done, and is very straightforward and honest. She is always available to her clients - before, during, and well after a transaction is done. Tori has a great sense of humor and is a truly caring individual. I cannot recommend her highly enough!"
"Our family has worked with Tori in previous years to complete 4 purchases of a primary home and rentals. Just recently, Tori helped us prep and sell our home and purchase a new home in our dream location. Tori earns every last bit of her 5-star ratings. I have never met anyone quite like her. She is on top of every detail, knows exactly what items are worth improving on one's home to get top dollar, has a wonderful team of contractors to get the work done, and is very straightforward and honest. She is always available to her clients - before, during, and well after a transaction is done. Tori has a great sense of humor and is a truly caring individual. I cannot recommend her highly enough!"
Seller
"Selling a house is a lot of work, full of uncertainty and alleged surprises. I am so relieved and happy I had Tori to guide me. Two years before I sold my house, Tori gave me some ROI tips to increase value. When it was time to put the house on the market, she was well-equipped with contractors needed to do some work. Friends who had bought/sold with Tori told me “Just listen to her advice and do whatever she says.” When it came to pricing the house I literally lost sleep over her strategy, thinking I knew better. After struggling for a week, I decided to follow her lead. And she was right! Everything she predicted came true. Tori knows the process inside and out; this meant she set my expectations properly for every step. And best of all – there were no surprises! But Tori is more than an expert on the process, well-connected with contractors, and great at pricing. She is warm, classy, and extremely professional. I don’t know how she balances her strong, well-researched opinions with such a gentle touch, but she does! In summary, Tori makes selling a house as easy as it could be. I recommend Tori without any reservations."
"Selling a house is a lot of work, full of uncertainty and alleged surprises. I am so relieved and happy I had Tori to guide me. Two years before I sold my house, Tori gave me some ROI tips to increase value. When it was time to put the house on the market, she was well-equipped with contractors needed to do some work. Friends who had bought/sold with Tori told me “Just listen to her advice and do whatever she says.” When it came to pricing the house I literally lost sleep over her strategy, thinking I knew better. After struggling for a week, I decided to follow her lead. And she was right! Everything she predicted came true. Tori knows the process inside and out; this meant she set my expectations properly for every step. And best of all – there were no surprises! But Tori is more than an expert on the process, well-connected with contractors, and great at pricing. She is warm, classy, and extremely professional. I don’t know how she balances her strong, well-researched opinions with such a gentle touch, but she does! In summary, Tori makes selling a house as easy as it could be. I recommend Tori without any reservations."
Seller
"I've had the pleasure of working with Tori on two occasions. She is extremely knowledgeable which is very helpful in a competitive market. I would not be in my home today without her! She is honest and truly cares about you and your family. She is a true professional."
"I've had the pleasure of working with Tori on two occasions. She is extremely knowledgeable which is very helpful in a competitive market. I would not be in my home today without her! She is honest and truly cares about you and your family. She is a true professional."
Angel C.
"Tori is the best! She is responsive, honest, knowledgeable, and very ethical. She has great vision, thinks out of the box, and really gets to know her clients well so that she can find them the perfect home for them. She hung in there with me for over a year. I was looking for a condo or townhouse, which in the end would have made me miserable. Tori recognized this and she surprised me by finding me the perfect little house instead. This met all of my needs and was actually more affordable. I love my house and it's all thanks to Tori. Thanks again, Tori. I would recommend her to everyone."
"Tori is the best! She is responsive, honest, knowledgeable, and very ethical. She has great vision, thinks out of the box, and really gets to know her clients well so that she can find them the perfect home for them. She hung in there with me for over a year. I was looking for a condo or townhouse, which in the end would have made me miserable. Tori recognized this and she surprised me by finding me the perfect little house instead. This met all of my needs and was actually more affordable. I love my house and it's all thanks to Tori. Thanks again, Tori. I would recommend her to everyone."
Buyer
"Tori is great. She is very knowledgeable and professional. She made my condo purchase as easy and stress-free as possible. I would use her again in a heartbeat and highly recommend her to anyone looking to buy or sell property in this area."
"Tori is great. She is very knowledgeable and professional. She made my condo purchase as easy and stress-free as possible. I would use her again in a heartbeat and highly recommend her to anyone looking to buy or sell property in this area."
Emmys J.
"Tori goes the extra mile - she combines high integrity, deep market knowledge, great customer service, and relentless follow-through - I wholeheartedly recommend her. My wife and I wanted to buy a home in the South Bay (walking distance to downtown, in a friendly neighborhood, with a sunny yard, built prior to WW2,), and we were willing to wait for the right house. Tori patiently worked with us for well over a year. When we finally found a good house, she successfully negotiated the sale through multiple counter offers, winning over three other buyers. Finally, Tori shepherded the escrow and closing process, ensuring that every stage went smoothly. When our first choice lender was having issues with the state of the house, Tori quickly put us in touch with an alternative lender, keeping the closing on track (and also getting us a better deal on the mortgage). Now that we have closed, Tori continues to provide help and advice."
"Tori goes the extra mile - she combines high integrity, deep market knowledge, great customer service, and relentless follow-through - I wholeheartedly recommend her. My wife and I wanted to buy a home in the South Bay (walking distance to downtown, in a friendly neighborhood, with a sunny yard, built prior to WW2,), and we were willing to wait for the right house. Tori patiently worked with us for well over a year. When we finally found a good house, she successfully negotiated the sale through multiple counter offers, winning over three other buyers. Finally, Tori shepherded the escrow and closing process, ensuring that every stage went smoothly. When our first choice lender was having issues with the state of the house, Tori quickly put us in touch with an alternative lender, keeping the closing on track (and also getting us a better deal on the mortgage). Now that we have closed, Tori continues to provide help and advice."
Daniel E.
"My father-in-law became ill and we had to sell his home, Tori was amazing! She helped us from step one until the end. We live out of state so She basically did it all but kept us in the loop via e-mails or phone calls 100%. We were very impressed with her and would recommend her 100% to anyone who is interested in selling their home!"
"My father-in-law became ill and we had to sell his home, Tori was amazing! She helped us from step one until the end. We live out of state so She basically did it all but kept us in the loop via e-mails or phone calls 100%. We were very impressed with her and would recommend her 100% to anyone who is interested in selling their home!"
Sandy S.
"We are so fortunate to have had Tori's invaluable insights and super-efficient skills in both buying and selling three different properties in three different cities - Sunnyvale, San Jose, and Milpitas. For selling, she's great at knowing what to fix up what can stay the same, and who to get to do the job. She made it so much easier and less consuming - we just did her to-do list - or hired who she recommended! For buying, she has a great eye for value - what is expensive vs. inexpensive to fix, what areas are more or less likely to increase in value, etc. In all three cases, we bought homes that we would have been too scared to buy if we did not have someone with expertise and trustworthiness to help out. We ended up with tens of thousands in increased value beyond the cost of the repairs in all cases. We have a daughter with Down syndrome, and with the rental property she helped us buy this last time, we no longer worry about our daughter's future when we are gone. We are so grateful to Tori. This review may seem a bit over the top, but her help and advice have literally changed the course of our lives. Thank you, Tori!"
"We are so fortunate to have had Tori's invaluable insights and super-efficient skills in both buying and selling three different properties in three different cities - Sunnyvale, San Jose, and Milpitas. For selling, she's great at knowing what to fix up what can stay the same, and who to get to do the job. She made it so much easier and less consuming - we just did her to-do list - or hired who she recommended! For buying, she has a great eye for value - what is expensive vs. inexpensive to fix, what areas are more or less likely to increase in value, etc. In all three cases, we bought homes that we would have been too scared to buy if we did not have someone with expertise and trustworthiness to help out. We ended up with tens of thousands in increased value beyond the cost of the repairs in all cases. We have a daughter with Down syndrome, and with the rental property she helped us buy this last time, we no longer worry about our daughter's future when we are gone. We are so grateful to Tori. This review may seem a bit over the top, but her help and advice have literally changed the course of our lives. Thank you, Tori!"
Patti H.
"Tori is the best! Tori was able to remodel my house and sell it for over the asking price within a month. She is a professional in every sense of the word and a pleasure to do business with. I would recommend Tori to anyone and she is at the top of my list of agents with whom I would do business again. You cannot do better."
"Tori is the best! Tori was able to remodel my house and sell it for over the asking price within a month. She is a professional in every sense of the word and a pleasure to do business with. I would recommend Tori to anyone and she is at the top of my list of agents with whom I would do business again. You cannot do better."
Seller

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