Your next home.
A clear path to get there.
From your first questions to your first set of keys, understand the decisions, costs, and milestones ahead—with a local team by your side.
Buying a home starts
with a better plan.
You don’t need every answer before you begin. You need a clear starting point and someone who helps you ask the right questions.
Your life comes first.
We begin with your timeline, monthly comfort level, must-haves, and the places you want to explore.
Every home deserves a closer look.
We help you compare the layout, condition, location, and costs behind the listing photos.
You stay informed at every turn.
From offer strategy to inspection deadlines, we help you understand what comes next and why it matters.
Eight steps.
One important move.
Here’s the path ahead. Select a step to see what happens, what you’ll need, and where our team can help.
Some steps overlap. Your agreement, lender, property, and circumstances determine the actual order and deadlines.
Define the move.
Build your team.
Before touring, let’s talk through what a successful purchase looks like for you. Are you working around a lease, a home sale, a job change, or a preferred move-in date?
- Separate needs from preferences: essential bedrooms, accessibility, work-from-home space, parking, yard, and room to grow.
- Set your boundaries: comfortable monthly costs, available cash, search areas, and timing.
- Understand representation: review the buyer agreement’s services, duration, compensation, exclusivity, and termination terms before signing.
- Choose your professionals: your agent, lender, inspectors, and settlement provider each have a different role.
Shop with a budget
you can live with.
A lender’s maximum approval and your comfortable payment may be different. Start with the full cost of ownership, then work backward to a purchase range.
- Compare lenders’ written loan estimates, interest rates, APRs, fees, mortgage insurance, and rate-lock terms.
- Ask which loan programs fit your situation and whether any current assistance programs apply. Eligibility and availability vary.
- Prepare income records, asset statements, debt information, identification, and any additional documents your lender requests. Use the lender’s secure portal.
- Obtain a preapproval and understand its conditions, expiration, and what still needs to be verified.
Plan for the purchase.
And the life after it.
A down payment is only one piece. Ask your lender and settlement provider for a written estimate specific to your transaction.
Before and at closing
Your contribution toward the purchase price. The required amount depends on the loan and eligibility.
A contract deposit typically credited toward your funds at closing—not an additional purchase-price charge. Refund rights depend on the agreement and compliance with deadlines.
Some services are paid before closing. Ask when fees are due and whether they are refundable.
May include lender and title charges, recording fees, applicable transfer taxes, prepaid interest, insurance, escrow deposits, and agreed brokerage compensation.
Allow room for movers, utility setup, immediate repairs, and emergency savings.
More than a mortgage
The loan payment based on your amount borrowed, interest rate, and term.
Confirm property taxes and insurance quotes. Amounts can change, and some items may be paid outside escrow.
Include these when applicable, along with any known special assessments.
Consider heating fuel, electric, water, sewer, trash, landscaping, and the age of major systems.
Leave room for savings, travel, everyday expenses, and the unexpected. Your home should fit your life.
Find the home.
Understand the fit.
We’ll build a search around your priorities and refine it as you tour. Compare homes consistently so the best staging doesn’t overshadow the details that matter.
Inside the home
Layout, stairs, natural light, storage, room dimensions, workspaces, visible condition, and the age of major systems.
Beyond the front door
Your actual commute, access to services, lot features, road noise, parking, association rules, and property-specific restrictions.
- Review available seller disclosures and ask about missing information.
- Verify school assignments directly with the district and research the services and amenities important to you.
- For townhomes and condos, examine association fees, rules, financial information, and available assessment details.
- Use tours to flag questions for qualified inspectors and specialists; a showing is not an inspection.
A strong offer
has more than a price.
We’ll review relevant comparable sales and available property information, discuss your comfort level, and build an offer around the terms you understand and can fulfill.
- Price: weigh comparable sales, property condition, current competition, and your budget.
- Deposit: choose the amount, delivery timing, and escrow arrangements set out in the agreement.
- Financing & appraisal: understand approval conditions and what a low appraisal could mean for your cash needs.
- Inspections & other contingencies: discuss your protections, deadlines, and the risks of any waiver.
- Settlement & possession: confirm when you close, when you receive possession, and what stays with the property.
- Credits & compensation: put any requested seller contributions in writing and confirm lender limits.
Under contract is a milestone.
There’s still work to do.
This is when details and deadlines matter most. Keep your lender, agent, inspectors, and settlement provider in the loop.
Understand what
you’re buying.
Schedule the inspections and investigations allowed by your agreement promptly. A general home inspection has limits; additional specialists may be appropriate.
- Consider property-specific evaluations such as radon, wood-destroying insects, sewer lateral, septic, well water, chimney, roof, or structural issues.
- Review inspection findings with the inspector and get qualified estimates when needed.
- Investigate permits, intended uses, boundaries, flood information, association documents, and other concerns relevant to this home.
- Discuss any repair, credit, acceptance, or termination options permitted by your contract before the applicable deadlines.
Financing, appraisal,
insurance, and title.
Several tracks run at once. Respond quickly to document requests and raise questions early instead of waiting for settlement week.
- Lender: complete underwriting requirements and confirm rate-lock timing, remaining conditions, and the path to final approval.
- Appraisal: the lender’s valuation supports its lending decision; it does not replace a condition inspection. If value comes in low, review financing and contract options.
- Insurance: obtain coverage acceptable to your lender, with the correct effective date, and ask about exclusions or additional coverage.
- Title & settlement: review title matters, ownership questions, fees, and any documents requiring your attention with the appropriate professionals.
Get ready for
settlement day.
Review your final figures, confirm the closing arrangements, and complete your final walkthrough close to settlement.
- For most covered mortgages, you must receive the Closing Disclosure at least three business days before closing. Compare it with your Loan Estimate and resolve questions with your lender.
- Confirm the exact cash to close, approved payment method, identification requirements, and who must attend or sign.
- At the walkthrough, check the property’s condition, agreed repairs, included items, and any new issues. Report concerns before closing.
- Arrange utilities, movers, and insurance around the agreed possession date.
Sign. Settle.
Start your next chapter.
At settlement, you’ll review and sign the required documents and complete the funds transfer. Keys and possession follow the terms of your agreement and completion requirements.
- Confirm receipt of keys, remotes, access codes, and available warranties or manuals.
- Save your closing documents securely and confirm where your first mortgage payment goes.
- Update your address, change locks or codes, and test smoke and carbon monoxide alarms.
- Locate shutoffs, set a maintenance schedule, and keep a repair reserve.
Find your place
in the Lehigh Valley.
A neighborhood is more than a map pin. Tell us what your day looks like, and we’ll help you explore locations and property options that match your stated needs.
Test the routine.
Try the commute at the time you actually travel. Look at parking, nearby services, recreation, and the routes you’ll use most.
Compare the full picture.
Taxes, utilities, association costs, lot conditions, and maintenance needs can vary even between homes with similar asking prices.
Verify what matters.
Confirm school assignments, intended uses, permits, and other essential details with the responsible district, municipality, or qualified professional.
Look beyond the listing photos.
Check off what you’ve reviewed. Print a fresh copy for each property so you can compare homes with the same questions.
Asking price: __________________ Date toured: __________________
0 of 12 items reviewed
Checklist selections last for this page visit only. A tour checklist helps organize observations; it does not replace professional inspections or document review.
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Jared Erhart Real Estate Team · 610-248-4851 · Jared@JaredErhart.com
What homebuyers
want to know.
How early should I talk with an agent?
As soon as you’re considering a move. Even if you’re months away, a conversation can help you identify priorities, prepare financially, and coordinate a lease or home sale. You don’t need to be ready to submit an offer to start planning.
Do I need to put 20% down?
Not necessarily. Down-payment requirements vary by loan program and borrower eligibility. Ask lenders to compare the total upfront and monthly costs of the options available to you, including mortgage insurance and any program fees. A smaller down payment may increase other costs.
What’s the difference between prequalification and preapproval?
Lenders use these terms differently. Prequalification often relies on preliminary information; preapproval generally involves a closer review. Ask what was verified and what conditions remain. Neither replaces final underwriting or guarantees that a specific property and loan will be approved.
How long does it take to buy a home?
Your search can take weeks or months depending on your priorities and available homes. Once under contract, the settlement date is negotiated and depends on financing, inspections, title, and the parties’ needs. We’ll build your plan around actual contract dates rather than promise a fixed timeline.
How does a buyer’s agent get paid?
Your written buyer agreement explains the services, compensation, and payment terms. Compensation is negotiable and is not set by law. A seller may agree to contribute, but that is not guaranteed. Before you sign, understand your obligations and how any seller payment would be applied.
Can I get my earnest money back if the purchase falls through?
That depends on your agreement, the reason for termination, your compliance with deadlines, and the deposit-release process. A deposit is not automatically refundable. Review the applicable provisions before making an offer and get professional advice if a dispute arises.
What if an inspection reveals problems?
We’ll help you review the findings and the options your contract allows. Depending on the terms and timing, those may include requesting repairs or credits, accepting the condition, or terminating under a contingency. The seller is not automatically required to make repairs.
What happens if the appraisal is below the purchase price?
Your lender will explain how the valuation affects the loan. Depending on your agreement and financing, you may discuss a price adjustment, additional cash, a permitted appraisal reconsideration, or a contract contingency. Understand any appraisal-gap commitment before agreeing to it.
Can I buy a home before selling my current one?
Possibly. It depends on your financing, available cash, and contract terms. We can coordinate with your lender to discuss timing, a home-sale contingency, and other available approaches. Consider the cost and risk of overlapping ownership and what happens if either transaction is delayed.
How do I know if a home is the right one?
Compare it against your non-negotiables, comfortable ownership costs, condition findings, and long-term plans. You may compromise on preferences, but you should understand those compromises. Our job is to help you evaluate the choice without losing sight of your priorities.
You bring the next chapter.
We’ll help with the next step.
Tell the Jared Erhart Real Estate Team where you are in the process, what you’re looking for, and what questions you want answered first.
This guide provides general educational information. Your signed agreements, lender requirements, and applicable law govern your transaction. Consult the appropriate legal, tax, lending, insurance, or inspection professional for advice specific to your circumstances. Loan programs, costs, and availability vary. Equal Housing Opportunity.
Helpful resources: CFPB homebuying resources · Understanding your Closing Disclosure · Written buyer agreements