Buy With Me

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 your agent 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 I 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 a Real Estate Agent

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

Empowering Journeys

Passion & Expertise

My goal is to provide you with the most personalized service possible, meticulously designed to help you navigate the process of buying your dream home. I am dedicated to understanding your unique needs and preferences, ensuring that every step of the journey is tailored to achieve your ultimate home-buying aspirations.

Schedule A Consultation
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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!). I 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. I 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. I 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.

Cheers to Your Achievement

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. 

Testimonials

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Puneet S.

House hunting in SF can be insane so in addition to a great realtor one needs a friend who is always there to give you advice, soften the blow when something doesn't work out, has your best interest in mind and doesn't push you...
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Darel H.

Michelle was my agent for a recent purchase in a San Francisco hi-rise. She was great about educating me on the market and once I found the place I wanted she made the rest happen. I know she can't guarantee there won't be any ...
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Roe G.

If I could give Michelle 10 stars, I would. She is incredible. Michelle is professional and so "on top of things" She is smart, efficient, and always calls back promptly. She understands the market and people. Michelle knows ho...
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Michael O.

Michelle is amazing! Helped me purchase my first property in San Francisco. Very kind, caring, and detailed during the entire purchase. Quick to respond to any question I had, and constantly stayed in contact. An expert of the ...
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Jessica L.

Michelle was recommended to me by my friend. She is very efficient and find me a super lovely condo with a reasonable price within one month in this crazy market. And Her service doesn't stop after closing the deal. Since I am ...
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Dean L.

We live in San Diego so we could only check potential agents' reviews online and conduct brief phone interviews before making a decision. We decided to go with Michelle because she had lots of experience in the neighborhood, lo...
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Bryan S.

Michelle brings the buyers. At the end of the day, that's what really matters when you're a seller. We worked with Michelle to sell our condo in the South Beach/ Rincon Hill neighborhood of San Francisco. We chose Michelle beca...
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Deborah J.

Michelle Ye did a great job successfully facilitating the sale of our condo in the South Beach area of San Francisco! She guided us through the process, facilitated all the updating of the condo-using contractors who were reaso...
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Oski Y.

We eventually completed a very long and painful closing process, and within *weeks* it was apparent that the market trends that Michelle had forecast had proven true, and I made an amazing equity gain on my investment almost in...
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J H.

Michelle has been absolutely amazing. I am so glad she was my Agent! She is 'The Expert' when it comes to SOMA and SF real estate market. She is up to date with current market conditions and is very well informed. She has sold ...
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Seller

Michelle is the total package, the best agent around! Her professionalism is unmatched, with great advice on everything, very polite and not pushy at all. Michelle coordinated upgrades on my '91 studio unit, totally transformin...
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Buyer

Great experience working with Michelle. She was extremely responsive and very helpful. Went above and beyond and even gave us much-needed remodeling advice!
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Seller

We have sold 2 condos in San Francisco South Beach with Michelle Ye as the selling agent, amidst the 2020/2021 pandemic. Both times she did an amazing job. It couldn't have been easier for us. Contracts were signed in less than...
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Seller

I knew from the moment I started talking with Michelle that I had found an amazing professional who would become a close partner in selling my place! Michelle suggested simple and efficient steps to upgrade my property which ha...
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Seller

Michelle did an amazing job of coordinating a light renovation during the pandemic, so I didn't even need to travel and come to San Francisco. Through her referrals, we updated all new floors, counters, and paint to get the pro...
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Jenn C.

Working with Michelle was such a great experience! She’s knowledgeable, professional, and responsive to just name a few of her expertise. Even with the slow market; she’s able to help me sell/prepare my home at a higher than my...
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Baxter R.

Well, my wife and I are trying to coin a new term: "Michelle magic". Michelle listed our place for sale and had it in contract within 4 days during the heat of the coronavirus pandemic (at a solid price too). She's motivated, k...
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Seller

Michelle is a real estate agent superhero! She came to the rescue when I needed to sell my condo in South Beach this summer while I was living in another state. Everything was taken care of, from the remodel to the sale itself....
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Peter P.

Michelle was very responsive, quick, supportive, and exceedingly knowledgeable throughout the entire process of searching for available properties, making offers, finding the right mortgage, closing, and so on. Even after closi...
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Robert & Betty C.

Michelle Ye was professional in all aspects of the sale of my San Francisco condo and very knowledgeable about the San Francisco real estate market. Her excellent advice, guidance, and support throughout the home-selling proces...
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Testimonials

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Michelle Ye is a distinguished luxury real estate agent in San Francisco, renowned for her exceptional work ethic and unwavering dedication. With a keen eye for detail and outstanding communication skills, she effortlessly navigates the complexities of the market. Her strong presence and confidence ensure every transaction is handled with finesse. Additionally, Michelle excels in marketing and negotiations, making her an invaluable asset to her clients.

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Contact Details

Michelle Ye | CA DRE# 01758904

Phone

(415) 312-6688

Email

[email protected]

Address

160 Main St Los Altos CA 94022

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