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Buyer's Guide

Everything you need to know about searching for the perfect home, making an offer, and successfully closing on your new property.

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 our team 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 we 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 Real Estate Experts

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

Passion & Expertise

Our goal is to provide you with the most personalized service possible, meticulously designed to help you navigate the process of buying your dream home. We are 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!). We 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. We 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. We 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 Our Clients Love Us

Testimonials

Read what our clients have to say about working with us.

"Known Rich for over twenty years, as we were avid golfers and often played together. So I was well acquainted with his professional background in the military, his character, and his determination. The time came to sell our house in NVA, I interviewed Rich and several others and the choice was clear-Rich had a focused and methodical game plan. He thoroughly assessed the property and house leaving nothing to chance. Rich followed with a professional designer and professional photographer, to really enhance the beauty of our home. During the preliminaries, Rich stayed highly focused and was very communicative. The house sold within days at a higher asking price than listed and our experience with him was outstanding. I highly recommend Rich and his team!"
"Known Rich for over twenty years, as we were avid golfers and often played together. So I was well acquainted with his professional background in the military, his character, and his determination. The time came to sell our house in NVA, I interviewed Rich and several others and the choice was clear-Rich had a focused and methodical game plan. He thoroughly assessed the property and house leaving nothing to chance. Rich followed with a professional designer and professional photographer, to really enhance the beauty of our home. During the preliminaries, Rich stayed highly focused and was very communicative. The house sold within days at a higher asking price than listed and our experience with him was outstanding. I highly recommend Rich and his team!"
Louis P.
"Rich is the most kind, honest, respectful, and absolutely most professional real estate expert I've ever done business with. He is very communicative, upfront, and always willing to help. Open to all of your concerns and has so much wisdom in his field of work. The person that Rich is wholeheartedly is the best part. Don't even look elsewhere. This is your realtor for life and for anyone you know who is looking for one. Don't hesitate to reach out to him. He is always open to hearing you and helping with any of your real estate needs. Thank you Rich."
"Rich is the most kind, honest, respectful, and absolutely most professional real estate expert I've ever done business with. He is very communicative, upfront, and always willing to help. Open to all of your concerns and has so much wisdom in his field of work. The person that Rich is wholeheartedly is the best part. Don't even look elsewhere. This is your realtor for life and for anyone you know who is looking for one. Don't hesitate to reach out to him. He is always open to hearing you and helping with any of your real estate needs. Thank you Rich."
Lou R.
"Rich DiGiovanna and I met back in 1987. We had both just obtained our real estate licenses and were just starting our new careers as Realtors in the same office. I worked directly with Rick on many transactions each representing our own clients. I have known and worked with hundreds of Realtors over my 30-year career but found Rick to be the most ethical, honest, and hardworking of them all. I have sold several investment properties since I retired and had Rick represent me on all of them. He has been very successful in his chosen profession and deserves all of that success. If you are planning to purchase or sell a property you couldn't be in better hands than Rick Giovanni's."
"Rich DiGiovanna and I met back in 1987. We had both just obtained our real estate licenses and were just starting our new careers as Realtors in the same office. I worked directly with Rick on many transactions each representing our own clients. I have known and worked with hundreds of Realtors over my 30-year career but found Rick to be the most ethical, honest, and hardworking of them all. I have sold several investment properties since I retired and had Rick represent me on all of them. He has been very successful in his chosen profession and deserves all of that success. If you are planning to purchase or sell a property you couldn't be in better hands than Rick Giovanni's."
Caroline B.
"Rich is probably the best realtor in Northern Virginia! He goes above and beyond. We sold my house in River Oak, Woodbridge, VA pretty quickly. We had some challenges and he has connections everywhere, he found us a contractor who replaced carpet, and countertops and painted in a turnkey fashion. Rich is also now a friend! You can't go wrong with this team."
"Rich is probably the best realtor in Northern Virginia! He goes above and beyond. We sold my house in River Oak, Woodbridge, VA pretty quickly. We had some challenges and he has connections everywhere, he found us a contractor who replaced carpet, and countertops and painted in a turnkey fashion. Rich is also now a friend! You can't go wrong with this team."
Jay C.
"I have used Rich on more than a handful of transactions. He is an amazing realtor. You aren't going to find a more conscientious working person anywhere. I've literally seen him walking the neighborhood where I had a property for sale, introducing himself, and letting everyone know my property was for sale. He also negotiates for you as your rep, not someone who just wants to get the deal closed. I've worked with multiple realtors in a number of regions. Rich is second to none and will always be my go-to person in this area."
"I have used Rich on more than a handful of transactions. He is an amazing realtor. You aren't going to find a more conscientious working person anywhere. I've literally seen him walking the neighborhood where I had a property for sale, introducing himself, and letting everyone know my property was for sale. He also negotiates for you as your rep, not someone who just wants to get the deal closed. I've worked with multiple realtors in a number of regions. Rich is second to none and will always be my go-to person in this area."
Bill L.
"Rich DiGiovanna He is the Best very professional and knowledgeable In the Northern Virginia area especially the Harbors of Newport Port Potomac. staging our house was awesome the camera person was amazing after listing. our house sold within hours I would highly recommend his team to get the job done."
"Rich DiGiovanna He is the Best very professional and knowledgeable In the Northern Virginia area especially the Harbors of Newport Port Potomac. staging our house was awesome the camera person was amazing after listing. our house sold within hours I would highly recommend his team to get the job done."
Kevin E.
"We called Rich DiGiovanna because we had previously been satisfied clients of his, and wanted his help sell our home. Rich guided us from the beginning to the end of the procedure. From beginning to end, he provided us with fantastic advice on what to correct and what not to do. Before listing and recommending some outstanding contractors at our request, he offered us fantastic advice on what to do and what not to fix. We signed a formal contract with Rich when the house was almost ready to be listed, and he thoroughly laid out the entire process and what to anticipate at each stage. He was there for us as each stage developed, offering helpful counsel all the while. Rich was always prepared to go above and beyond to keep the process moving and on track right up to closing, which was one quality I particularly valued. Anyone looking to buy or sell a home in Northern Virginia should contact Rich DiGiovanna, in my opinion."
"We called Rich DiGiovanna because we had previously been satisfied clients of his, and wanted his help sell our home. Rich guided us from the beginning to the end of the procedure. From beginning to end, he provided us with fantastic advice on what to correct and what not to do. Before listing and recommending some outstanding contractors at our request, he offered us fantastic advice on what to do and what not to fix. We signed a formal contract with Rich when the house was almost ready to be listed, and he thoroughly laid out the entire process and what to anticipate at each stage. He was there for us as each stage developed, offering helpful counsel all the while. Rich was always prepared to go above and beyond to keep the process moving and on track right up to closing, which was one quality I particularly valued. Anyone looking to buy or sell a home in Northern Virginia should contact Rich DiGiovanna, in my opinion."
Jim B.
"Rich DiGiovanna and his realty team did an excellent job preparing our home to be listed, listing it in the MLS, and "getting it sold" in a timely manner. Rich recommended renovations and repairs and suggested a contractor for all the repairs and renovations. We followed all of his recommendations. Rich then coordinated all of the work until it was completed. After the renovations and repairs were completed, Rich listed the house on a Thursday and held an open house on Sunday, three days later. In a matter of days, we received six offers above the asking price with no contingencies! Highly recommend Rich and his team for your realty needs."
"Rich DiGiovanna and his realty team did an excellent job preparing our home to be listed, listing it in the MLS, and "getting it sold" in a timely manner. Rich recommended renovations and repairs and suggested a contractor for all the repairs and renovations. We followed all of his recommendations. Rich then coordinated all of the work until it was completed. After the renovations and repairs were completed, Rich listed the house on a Thursday and held an open house on Sunday, three days later. In a matter of days, we received six offers above the asking price with no contingencies! Highly recommend Rich and his team for your realty needs."
Paul S.
"Rich DiGiovanna is the best! I've worked with other realtors in the past but none of them compared to Rich's professionalism, expert real estate knowledge, negotiating skills, and ability to successfully work with people in a stressful environment. If you're looking for a top-tier agent to handle your real estate sale or purchase, you can't do any better than Rich. I highly recommend him and hope you take full advantage of his real estate skills, knowledge, and most importantly professionalism and responsiveness to your unique and individual real estate needs."
"Rich DiGiovanna is the best! I've worked with other realtors in the past but none of them compared to Rich's professionalism, expert real estate knowledge, negotiating skills, and ability to successfully work with people in a stressful environment. If you're looking for a top-tier agent to handle your real estate sale or purchase, you can't do any better than Rich. I highly recommend him and hope you take full advantage of his real estate skills, knowledge, and most importantly professionalism and responsiveness to your unique and individual real estate needs."
Dina K.
"Rich and his entire team did a great job assisting with the selling of my condo. Rich had the condo fixed up, painted, and repairs made which were done quickly, professionally, and at a responsible cost. The condo was marketed professionally and sold quickly thanks to his professional advice and expertise. Once an offer was extended and accepted, his team kept me informed of the status of all the moving parts. I could not have been more satisfied with this entire process. I would recommend Rich to family, friends, and anyone looking for a professional real estate agent."
"Rich and his entire team did a great job assisting with the selling of my condo. Rich had the condo fixed up, painted, and repairs made which were done quickly, professionally, and at a responsible cost. The condo was marketed professionally and sold quickly thanks to his professional advice and expertise. Once an offer was extended and accepted, his team kept me informed of the status of all the moving parts. I could not have been more satisfied with this entire process. I would recommend Rich to family, friends, and anyone looking for a professional real estate agent."
Susan M.

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