Brenda Whitman, Realtor, Laramie, Wyoming

Yay, the day is almost here! You've jumped through the hoops, waited anxiously on the edge of your seat for appraisal, approvals, underwriting and more. You've even had your financial history autopsied all the way back to your first lost tooth. So, enough already . . .
When can you move in?!

The answer - when the deal is DONE. Not a minute sooner. In Laramie, that typically means after all the papers are signed, the money exchanged and the title transferred at closing.

Sounds obvious, right? It is, but . . . what can it hurt to just put a few things in the garage? Or how about sneaking over and watering that yellowish patch of grass? Or getting the premium cable installed so it's ready when you get there?

No, No and No.

To be fair, there are occasions where people do make other arrangements but generally, it is not a good idea. For example, you've put everything you own in the garage of your soon to be new home the day before closing. That night the house burns down destroying everything. Who pays for your things - their insurance, your insurance, is it even covered at all? The answers to this and other things that could happen are not simple. So the best rule of thumb is for buyers and sellers is to wait until it's official - then, it's all yours! (Hip, Hip, Hooray!)

*This information is intended only to provide further clarification of real estate issues in Laramie, Wyoming. I am not an attorney. This article is not endorsed, approved or affiliated with Century 21 Real Estate Center, Inc. Any consumer with questions about the real estate process should always consult an attorney of their own.

Seriously, I understand there is a lot of paperwork that goes with making an offer and buying a house. What, with the disclosures, agency agreements, property condition statements and finally the actual offer - you'd think you were making a major life decision.

Well, ... you are! I can't be the only agent that gets tired of the mountains of paperwork. However, I understand the necessity of it. I know that it exists to protect people on both sides of the deal. It spells out the specific terms being offered and ultimately, accepted. It also details the consequences and risks to both parties. It is a lot of information to process all at once.

As realtors, we will explain it to the best of our ability - but most of us are not lawyers - so you shouldn't rely just on our explanations. You need to read it, too! It is OK if it takes awhile, we expect that it will. Because really the title of this post should be:

Read it,

Think about it,

Understand it,

then. . . Sign it!

*This information is intended only to provide further clarification of real estate issues in Laramie, Wyoming. I am not an attorney. This article is not endorsed, approved or affiliated with Century 21 Real Estate Center, Inc. Any consumer with questions about the real estate process should always consult an attorney of their own.

With so much talk about who will be the best agent for you, I'd like to suggest a quick and simple test:

Call an agent on his or her cell phone . . .

Did they answer?

If they don't answer, it's okay! They may be conversing with an actual human being at the time of your call - and we all know that it is rude to ignore the person in front of you to dive for your phone.

However, leave a message then get on with your day while you wait for a return call.

You should find that the agent will return your call within a reasonable amount of time at their next opportunity.

After all, even the greatest agent in the world won't do you much good if you can never get a hold of them!

Now that I'm under contract to buy a home, how will I remember all the dates and things to do?

Part of my job is to help
keep everything on track. I
will do what I can to make it
easier by providing an outline
of all the important
deadlines, dates and
details. A straightforward
transaction might include:

·Deadline to Visit Lender and tender Loan Application
·Time window for Inspections
·Deadline to request remedy for things found during inspections
·Deadline for written agreement between both parties regarding inspection issues (if any)
·Last chance for Buyer to void contract if unable to agree on resolution of inspection findings
·When to line up Homeowner's Insurance
·When the Title Commitment is Due to You
·Time window to Request in Writing the remedy of any Title defects found
·Reminder to put Utilities in your name
· Date of Final Walk-through
·Closing and Possession

I wish I could do more but the truth is that you will be the one that has to fill out endless paperwork and provide umpteen years of your financial history. You'll get to decide who you want to work with regarding lending, inspections, insurance, etc. It can be a daunting process but I will do whatever I can to make it all easier. In the end it will all be well worth the effort when you have your very own place to call HOME.

*This information is intended only to provide further clarification of real estate issues in Laramie, Wyoming. I am not an attorney. This article is not endorsed, approved or affiliated with Century 21 Real Estate Center, Inc. Any consumer with questions about the real estate process should always consult an attorney of their own.

Is there an easier way to understand the Real Estate Brokerage Disclosure given to me by my agent?

No, not really. I've created the chart below to try to make if clearer. However, if you still do not understand the Real Estate Brokerage Disclosure, then you should consult with an attorney before entering into any Real Estate relationships or contracts.