“Jo Ann was my rock throughout the entire process. She made sure we were all on the same page, and I knew I could trust her to keep everyone accountable and on track. She truly went above and beyond. She made my partner and I feel completely at ease amongst uncertainties through the process as first time buyers. Super responsive, easy to contact, and always ready to help. From day one she treated us like an old friend. I would follow her into the dark!”

— Rana, Buyer

Ten Commandments of Buying

I’m Ready, Let’s Go!

I know exactly what I'm looking for, let's do this!

WHY DO YOU WANT TO BUY A HOUSE?

I always like to ask my potential clients, why do you want to buy a house? I get many answers from “I want to try adulting” to “I’m tired of giving my money to a landlord” to “I just want to feel safe”. All are valid reasons. Buying a home is buying independence. Homeownership is part of the American dream, it establishes an extension of who you are and where you have memorable events take place.

“I can’t buy a home, CAN I?”

Yes, yes you can. It can take a few steps, but we’re talking about a life investment here, so in the long run, a few small steps can lead to a huge moment. The first thing you want to do is reach out to a lender and find out what needs to happen in order for you to really begin looking for your new home.

WHY YOU SHOULD CONSIDER ME

Anyone can buy a house, but not everyone can negotiate a contract. There’s a lot of steps involved. There are things like knowing neighborhoods, understanding market analysis, and answering questions about repairs and financials. My job is to make it a whole lot more efficient and easily explained. I can provide you with knowledge and negotiation skills, but mostly I want you to get your desired home in a fair and honest way while providing you with a voice and an advocacy that will result in you getting what you want out of the purchase.

HERE WE GO

When we begin our journey together, there are some solid steps we take in order to get you home. These little pits stops are necessary and will be explained before and as we trot along. The first thing we need to do is take care of our paperwork. I will have you sign agreements once I am hired. This will ensure our working relationship and not allow for time wasted.

WHAT’S A HOME WARRANTY?

I always suggest that we get a home warranty written into the contract. This is the agreement between the buyer and the seller and protects you and covers all those expensive and unforeseen repair costs. You know sometimes, you’ll buy a home, everything works out great with the inspection and you close. Beautiful. Until…the HVAC blows up or the dishwasher decides to stop working while your signature is still wet from closing.

No problem, this is why I advise my clients to get a home warranty. I will also do you the courtesy of ordering it for you. I have a few recommendations I will suggest, but you are more than happy to decide on any company you see fit.

Learn more about home warranty from Cinch

“Friendly, Always Answered My Questions, Available, Friendly, Professional, Went above and beyond, Communicative. I loved my entire team chosen for me!”

— Charles & Carrie R., Buyers

GETTING PRE-APPROVED

Getting pre-approved by a local lender or mortgage broker is one of the first things you should do for many reasons. Consider this your necessary prerequisite for serious consideration on any offer you put down.
This will determine what types of home you will be searching for and how much you can afford.

Get Pre-Approved Now

home search

If you are new to RVA, not to worry. I have vast knowledge of neighborhoods here in Richmond and my job is to sit with you beforehand and find out who you are and what you want. Sometimes people think they want to live in that sought-after neighborhood, but can find their jewel of a home in a totally different area they didn’t even consider.
If you are familiar with RVA, then more than likely you know where you’ll be looking. I’m happy to explore those areas with you.
I don’t like to show one home at a time. The first thing I’ll do after interviewing you, is set up a search with your desired criteria. This way, we can begin to filter out the ‘hell yeses’ and the ‘no ways’.
We will then schedule some home viewings, please note I do not show homes after 8pm or before 8:30am. Please be considerate when wanting to schedule because usually seller’s need a good 24-48 hour notice if they are still in occupancy of their home. I work with your schedule for the most part and understand the constraints of jobs and kids.
I’m always going to give my you my advice when trying to find a home. Our relationship is based on trust and transparency.

The offer

Woohoo! You found it! The house you have chosen for you. WAIT. Now I know you are excited, I am too! But just because you put an offer down does not mean you will win the bid. Sometimes this happens, you just need to be prepared for it.
We will put an entire contract together and then we will put the offer in. You will need your EMD (Deposit) and your pre-approval letter.
Then we keep our fingers crossed, blow on the dice and hope they will accept it!