Buy With Us
Investing in and buying property requires neighborhood market knowledge, keen negotiation tactics, and superior communication skills. These combined produce the higher quality of service and a positive home-buying experience the Blume Group offers. Understanding each client’s specific wants and needs, we match our families with their perfect homes. Once we find it, we negotiate the best price and guide them through the process of inspections, financing, repairs, closing, and home ownership. We continue to support our clients long after they have closed, curating a perfect start for your new chapter.
Our Stats
Chicago Association of Realtors
Top 5% of Chicago Realtors
TOP 100, Chicago Agent Magazine
Over $107M in Revenue* | 5-Star Reviews
Helped 215+ Families
The Buying Proccess
Getting Started
It’s important to interview your potential Realtor® and ask about their experience and routines. Experience in your preferred neighborhood and your home style is essential, but so is the comfort level between you and your broker because buying a home is a highly personal experience. Your broker should be someone you like, trust, and respect; they also should treat you with the same respect. That is why the Blume Group is dedicated to building a personal relationship with each and every one of our clients.
In today’s home-buying environment, a mortgage pre-approval is essential. It lets you know what you can afford to buy and demonstrates to sellers that you are a willing and able buyer. Moreover, it gives you a significant head start in securing a real loan commitment.
Almost every home purchase involves some degree of compromise. There are many variables to consider depending on your lifestyle, budget, and future plans.
Location – Consider essential factors such as schools, transportation, and neighborhood amenities like shops, restaurants, and parks.
Type of Home -There are a variety of housing styles to consider, weighing the pros and cons to narrow your focus.
Features and Amenities – Consider your wants and needs, such as garage parking, hardwood floors, outdoor spaces, etc.
Our job is to work with all parties involved in the purchase to ensure that most of your needs are met. If we achieve 80-90% of your “wish list,” we will suggest you make an offer.
You are ready to begin your home search at this stage. Here is what you can expect.
Review Listing – We will present you with available listings. Pay close attention to the property beyond the property’s price and attributes, and check the other data like property taxes, market time, and monthly assessments for condos and townhomes.
View Properties – We will then schedule showings and accompany you on appointments.
Open Houses – If you’re attending open houses without us, mention that you are being represented and give them our contact information. Doing so will save you from being inundated with calls from other brokers trying to represent you.
Comparing Properties – Provide candid feedback after every listing so we can adjust your parameters accordingly to present you with alternatives if needed. When you find a home that suits your needs, we will prepare a Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) to help you formulate your offer.
Offer
When you find a home, it’s essential to act quickly and make an educated offer based on our discussed strategies. The Blume Group will draw up a contract that includes your offer price, closing date, and other terms and contingencies. We may even ask you to write a personal letter to the seller. Upon acceptance, you will tender your first portion of the Earnest Money.
In most transactions, we frequently see multiple counteroffers. The Blume Group will closely counsel you during this period, offer strategies and serve as a buffer between the seller and their broker.
This is the first step of many in the process. It’s natural to get a little excited, but the next step is to clear all the contingencies.
Earnest Money is generally in two payments; the first is due right after the offer is accepted. It is given to the seller’s brokerage or attorney, who will escrow it until the closing. This money will be credited to your closing fees. The earnest money may be returned to the buyer if the sale does not go through due to contingencies covered in the contract.
Remove Contingencies
A thorough inspection of the property by a licensed home inspector protects you against structural or material problems that may not be detectable in a casual walk-through.
The Attorney Review is generally a one-week period in which your attorney can review the contract and suggest alterations to help protect you from any undue obligations. Inspection items, tax proration, and other protections are negotiated during this period. An attorney’s review is always highly recommended.
The remaining Earnest Money balance is due at the end of this period. This is only refundable if you can not meet the mortgage contingencies.
If you have a mortgage you must have property insurance. Contact your local agent to obtain this before closing.
Typically, a day or two before the closing, your lender will forward all loan documentation to the title company and let you know the amount required to close. You will be responsible for bringing the balance of your down payment. Closing costs (such as lender fees and state/city transfer taxes) to the closing in the form of a cashier’s check, or you can wire the funds. Please consult your attorney for specific instructions. Your lender will then tell you the funds you need to wire to close. Verify wire details with the title company and try to get this completed the day before closing.
You are clear to close and only have a few steps between you being a homeowner!
The Home Stretch
Don’t forget to turn off your utilities at your present home and start service at your new home. Water/sewage utilities will be taken care of at closing. Still, cable, gas, and electricity may need to be set up, especially if you are in a single-family home.
The final walk-through ensures everything is the same as when you purchased the home. This will occur as close to your closing date/time as possible.
The Blume Group will work closely with you, your lender, your attorney, and the seller’s broker to make sure everything is in place for a smooth and efficient closing. At the closing, your attorney will guide you through the documents you need to sign, including the bill of sale, the deed, and the affidavit of title. Plan on at least 1.5 hours for the closing, and don’t plan anything that day that can’t be canceled in case of a delay.
Receive the keys and begin your journey as a homeowner!
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*MLS date thru August 19, 2022