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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 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. 

Because Your Success is Our Greatest Achievement

"Lisa did a great job helping us find this home and supporting us through the process. Being unfamiliar with the Westchester and Scarsdale area, she was really helpful in getting to know the neighborhood and guiding us to what we were looking for. Lisa also helped us after the transaction was completed as we were settling in and making plans to improve our new home."
"Lisa did a great job helping us find this home and supporting us through the process. Being unfamiliar with the Westchester and Scarsdale area, she was really helpful in getting to know the neighborhood and guiding us to what we were looking for. Lisa also helped us after the transaction was completed as we were settling in and making plans to improve our new home."
Matthieu C.
"I have now worked with Lisa three times. Every time, she has been knowledgeable, thorough, and responsive. With so much going on during each move, I felt that I was in great hands with Lisa - and I could focus on the details of the move. I highly recommend her, as both a buyer and a seller."
"I have now worked with Lisa three times. Every time, she has been knowledgeable, thorough, and responsive. With so much going on during each move, I felt that I was in great hands with Lisa - and I could focus on the details of the move. I highly recommend her, as both a buyer and a seller."
Amy F.
"Bela Sheth went above and beyond to help my husband, and I sell our Scarsdale home. Her expertise in the market was incredible. She is beyond knowledgeable at what she does, along with a warm and caring personality. I have already referred her to two families who cannot thank me enough for the introduction. I sold my Scarsdale home in 2 weeks and the entire process from beginning to end was seamless! I will definitely be using her in the future."
"Bela Sheth went above and beyond to help my husband, and I sell our Scarsdale home. Her expertise in the market was incredible. She is beyond knowledgeable at what she does, along with a warm and caring personality. I have already referred her to two families who cannot thank me enough for the introduction. I sold my Scarsdale home in 2 weeks and the entire process from beginning to end was seamless! I will definitely be using her in the future."
Amy S.
"We cannot thank Bela enough for helping us find our home. As a first-time and somewhat fussy buyer, Bela was very patient with us and helped us to be objective about our search and criteria. We saw many houses and soon were able to narrow the price range. Bela helped significantly in negotiating and helping us understand the picture from the sellers' perspective. Together, we landed our dream house. Post-close, she helped us get settled and helped us contact multiple service contractors. We are truly grateful to Bela and strongly recommend her for home seekers in Scarsdale."
"We cannot thank Bela enough for helping us find our home. As a first-time and somewhat fussy buyer, Bela was very patient with us and helped us to be objective about our search and criteria. We saw many houses and soon were able to narrow the price range. Bela helped significantly in negotiating and helping us understand the picture from the sellers' perspective. Together, we landed our dream house. Post-close, she helped us get settled and helped us contact multiple service contractors. We are truly grateful to Bela and strongly recommend her for home seekers in Scarsdale."
Shivani & Puneet S.
"Lisa cares deeply about her clients and does everything in her power for a successful transaction. We engaged Lisa to assist us in buying our home 16 years ago and remained friends with her throughout our stay in Scarsdale. We interviewed several other brokers but selected Lisa to market our home due to her expertise and the confidence we had in her. She handled the sale of our home exceptionally well and I can recommend her without hesitation."
"Lisa cares deeply about her clients and does everything in her power for a successful transaction. We engaged Lisa to assist us in buying our home 16 years ago and remained friends with her throughout our stay in Scarsdale. We interviewed several other brokers but selected Lisa to market our home due to her expertise and the confidence we had in her. She handled the sale of our home exceptionally well and I can recommend her without hesitation."
Evan K.
"Lisa is the best of the best. We purchased our property through her and also listed it with her help when my husband was relocated. Everything went better than we anticipated. She is very professional and knowledgeable. She anticipated the next steps of the process and helped us avoid any problems. And she helped us obtain a very satisfactory number! Simply the best!"
"Lisa is the best of the best. We purchased our property through her and also listed it with her help when my husband was relocated. Everything went better than we anticipated. She is very professional and knowledgeable. She anticipated the next steps of the process and helped us avoid any problems. And she helped us obtain a very satisfactory number! Simply the best!"
Juhee H.
"We have known Joanne for years, as we both have the same family friends and spend time chatting at social gatherings. Every time we would discuss my ideas about moving, she would candidly share her thoughts and feelings, without ever a hint of pressure to use her as an agent. When the time came for our decision to leave the safe, beautiful great amenities and school district that the Village of Scarsdale offers, one that my husband grew up in and we raised two wonderful children in for the past 22 years, I started asking friends and acquaintances who they used to sell their houses. Everyone and their mother unequivocally said, “You have to use Joanne Shapse”! “Why?, what makes her so special?” I wanted to know. Joanne is professional, transparent and caring, as she “holds your hand through the whole process”, one friend asserted. Having grown up in Scarsdale and raising 2 children here as well, she knows her market inside and out and is extremely passionate about what she does. She was in constant communication about every next step and details, asking our opinions about her strategies, which allowed us to feel that she truly knew what she was doing while “having our backs”(which is something she committed to from the get-go). Selling a home is such an emotional process and can come with so many caveats but her leading the way from start to finish (in a very, very short period of time) made all the difference in our confidence levels and well-being. We are thrilled we hired her and enthusiastically recommend her as she is a true gem of a real estate agent and person!"
"We have known Joanne for years, as we both have the same family friends and spend time chatting at social gatherings. Every time we would discuss my ideas about moving, she would candidly share her thoughts and feelings, without ever a hint of pressure to use her as an agent. When the time came for our decision to leave the safe, beautiful great amenities and school district that the Village of Scarsdale offers, one that my husband grew up in and we raised two wonderful children in for the past 22 years, I started asking friends and acquaintances who they used to sell their houses. Everyone and their mother unequivocally said, “You have to use Joanne Shapse”! “Why?, what makes her so special?” I wanted to know. Joanne is professional, transparent and caring, as she “holds your hand through the whole process”, one friend asserted. Having grown up in Scarsdale and raising 2 children here as well, she knows her market inside and out and is extremely passionate about what she does. She was in constant communication about every next step and details, asking our opinions about her strategies, which allowed us to feel that she truly knew what she was doing while “having our backs”(which is something she committed to from the get-go). Selling a home is such an emotional process and can come with so many caveats but her leading the way from start to finish (in a very, very short period of time) made all the difference in our confidence levels and well-being. We are thrilled we hired her and enthusiastically recommend her as she is a true gem of a real estate agent and person!"
Seller
"If you are looking for a platinum-level agent who will help you navigate one of the most difficult buyer’s markets, we have ever experienced than Joanne Shapse is the realtor you want on your team! Joanne helped us sell our home in Scarsdale and purchase our home in Armonk in an extremely competitive environment! She guided us through the buying and selling process seamlessly. She is patient, caring, incredibly knowledgeable and fun to work with! At the end of the day your home is your largest financial investment, you can trust that Joanne will guide you through the home buying purchase every step of the way from inspection to close- with as little stress as possible I can safely say that Joanne is in a class by herself and a tremendous asset, not only was she great at her job, but she is a lovely person, Smart and engaging. She has a tremendous tool kit full of resources including some great contractors or vendors who she trusts and recommends. She is by far the best real estate agent we have ever met. We would highly recommend her!"
"If you are looking for a platinum-level agent who will help you navigate one of the most difficult buyer’s markets, we have ever experienced than Joanne Shapse is the realtor you want on your team! Joanne helped us sell our home in Scarsdale and purchase our home in Armonk in an extremely competitive environment! She guided us through the buying and selling process seamlessly. She is patient, caring, incredibly knowledgeable and fun to work with! At the end of the day your home is your largest financial investment, you can trust that Joanne will guide you through the home buying purchase every step of the way from inspection to close- with as little stress as possible I can safely say that Joanne is in a class by herself and a tremendous asset, not only was she great at her job, but she is a lovely person, Smart and engaging. She has a tremendous tool kit full of resources including some great contractors or vendors who she trusts and recommends. She is by far the best real estate agent we have ever met. We would highly recommend her!"
Buyer
"My fiancé and I worked with Elise to purchase our first home in White Plains. We were moving from NYC and weren't familiar with Westchester neighborhoods, but Elise understood what we were looking for as a young couple and helped us find the perfect house in the perfect neighborhood. Elise helped us negotiate to get us a house that already had competitive offers, and she made us feel comfortable throughout the whole process. Even after closing she's still helping us find contractors and handymen. She's amazing to work with and hope to work with her again!"
"My fiancé and I worked with Elise to purchase our first home in White Plains. We were moving from NYC and weren't familiar with Westchester neighborhoods, but Elise understood what we were looking for as a young couple and helped us find the perfect house in the perfect neighborhood. Elise helped us negotiate to get us a house that already had competitive offers, and she made us feel comfortable throughout the whole process. Even after closing she's still helping us find contractors and handymen. She's amazing to work with and hope to work with her again!"
Buyer
"Elise worked with us on the buying of a new home and the selling of our existing home. She was great on all of the professional skills (knowledge of the market, sales process, negotiations, etc.) She was available 24/7 - and we were working with her at all hours. Fastest response time imaginable. Lastly, she was always there to help us on the emotional roller coaster that goes along with all of this - and this is a true strength that we appreciated as much (or more) than the superb technical or professional skills. I highly, highly recommend her."
"Elise worked with us on the buying of a new home and the selling of our existing home. She was great on all of the professional skills (knowledge of the market, sales process, negotiations, etc.) She was available 24/7 - and we were working with her at all hours. Fastest response time imaginable. Lastly, she was always there to help us on the emotional roller coaster that goes along with all of this - and this is a true strength that we appreciated as much (or more) than the superb technical or professional skills. I highly, highly recommend her."
Seller
"We feel incredibly lucky to have worked with Lisa and Bela! Not only are they warm, kind, and a joy to work with, but they are also incredibly influential and well-connected in the Scarsdale community. In such a competitive market—where most homes we were interested in had 20 to 30 offers and were selling well over asking—Lisa and Bela helped us navigate the process with clarity, strategy, and grace. They helped manage our expectations while also advising us on how to stay competitive without overpaying. Thanks to their guidance, we found our dream home in just 5 weeks, even though we originally expected the process to take 6 to 12 months. Their professionalism, local knowledge, and dedication truly set them apart. We are beyond grateful for their support and would recommend them to anyone looking to buy in the area!"
"We feel incredibly lucky to have worked with Lisa and Bela! Not only are they warm, kind, and a joy to work with, but they are also incredibly influential and well-connected in the Scarsdale community. In such a competitive market—where most homes we were interested in had 20 to 30 offers and were selling well over asking—Lisa and Bela helped us navigate the process with clarity, strategy, and grace. They helped manage our expectations while also advising us on how to stay competitive without overpaying. Thanks to their guidance, we found our dream home in just 5 weeks, even though we originally expected the process to take 6 to 12 months. Their professionalism, local knowledge, and dedication truly set them apart. We are beyond grateful for their support and would recommend them to anyone looking to buy in the area!"
Buyer

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